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On August 21, 2018 By In Theology

The Body of the King: The Lord’s Table in Egypt, Babylon, and Corinth

Guest Post by Jacob Gucker

There are patterns in the meta-narrative of the Bible. The crossing of the Red Sea is a recapitulation of the great flood. The passion of the Christ is the greater Exodus. This post assumes the priest —> king —> prophet pattern of redemptive history and will discuss observations about the similarities among three prophetic moments in the Bible and how they relate to the function of the Lord’s Supper in the life of the church.

Israel became a nation when God brought them up from bondage in the land of Egypt. Israel was a child under the tutelage of Torah, a nation of priests with a special class of priests to guard the community practice of Torah. In time, Israel would gain a good king who would reign with wisdom to do justice. The wisdom literature of the Bible is the literature of kings, who make decisions based not only on Torah but by the maturity and wisdom that begins with fearful obedience to Yahweh. After the period of the kings came the period of prophecy. Prophetic times are times of judgment. If Israel’s kings had been Christlike, the prophets would have gone to the nations only, to tear down the world of the Gentiles and rebuild it with prophetic speech. Prophecy is both an end and a beginning. Prophets oversee the judgment of one world and the recreation of the next. In this, they are like God who created the world with divine speech.

This pattern is repeated throughout the Bible. Adam was a failed priest. His firstborn son, Cain, was a father of tyrant kings who filled the earth with blood, requiring judgment and rebirth through Noah and the flood. The cycle begins again with Abraham being priest, Jacob ascending to kingship by wrestling with God and man to become Israel, and Joseph ascending to a throne over the rest of his brothers. For the purpose of this post, we want to juxtapose three prophetic moments and compare them: Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and the Church in Corinth.

We observe that Joseph and Daniel are in very similar situations. They are both exiled to a foreign land where they ascend to prominence among the Gentiles despite their Hebrew heritage. They are both nearly killed for their faithfulness, facing the dangers of pit, dungeon, furnace, and lions’ den. They both rise to prominence by advising kings through dream interpretation. The kings call upon them because they are known to have the “spirit of the gods” in them. The same is true of the apostles and first century Christians. The first-century was a period of judgement upon Israel and the nations. They have the Spirit. They suffer persecution. They rise to prominence among Gentiles, even in Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22). The major difference in Corinth is that Jesus is Lord, having ascended to the right hand of God. Corinth is in Christ… or at least they are supposed to be, but let’s go back to Daniel and Joseph.

James Jordan has shown that Belshazzar’s feast in Daniel 5 is a sort of anti-Christian communion feast, the result of which is that the king of Babylon is found wanting as a king in the eyes of God. The word for “feast” is actually “bread.” Belshazzar’s feast is a feast of bread and wine, and he orders the vessels stolen from the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem to be used to drink the wine. The lampstand, the symbol of Yahweh’s vigilance, is brought in to observe this feast. Belshazzar has manifested the Jerusalem temple within Babylon and has drunk judgment upon himself. The temple vessels are in exile and symbolize the people of God as vessels of worship. The body of Israel is being used to prop up a wicked head. The divine response: “This is not my Son, and I am not well pleased.”

Something similar happens in Genesis 42-44 when Joseph’s brothers appear before him looking for grain during a famine. Joseph’s brothers were not brother-keepers, having sold him into slavery. Now, Joseph is in the place of God and he wants to see what these men will do. Joseph divides the brothers for the purpose of reassembling them, for this is the end of prophetic judgment. Joseph wants the brothers to prove their brotherhood, so he keeps Simeon and sends them for Benjamin. They go home, but the only way to get more bread and restore Simeon is to also bring the youngest brother to the table.

When the eleven brothers come before Joseph, he tests them again by hiding his wine cup of divination in Benjamin’s grain sack. Wine has been added to bread; now is the hour of judgment. Joseph’s steward pursues them and accuses them of stealing his master’s sacred cup. The life of the thief is forfeit. However, when the cup is discovered in Benjamin’s sack, Judah returns and offers his own life for Benjamin’s. Joseph breaks down at this and reveals himself to his brothers, for Judah has laid his life down for the youngest. Judah has washed his own garments in the wine of judgment and thus all the brothers in Israel are found faithful. It is for this reason that the scepter of rule did not depart from Judah, but was given to Jesus, who washed His own garments in the wine of judgment by taking up His cross and laying down His life.

The lesson that Paul teaches the Corinthians is the same. The factions in Corinth are the opposite of brotherhood and kingship. The rich feast while the poor go hungry. However, communion is a manifestation of the new temple of God and the body of the King. In order for the church to pass as Christ, the youngest or poorest brothers and sisters must be welcomed to the table, whether poor of pocket or poor in theological understanding. To fail in this area is to fail to discern the body of the King.

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On July 26, 2018 By In Theology

Walking on Water as Proof of Jesus’ Kingship (Mark 6:45-52)

In Mark 6:45-52, Jesus appears to his disciples by walking on water. This is a famous miracle of Jesus, but why did he do it? What was its purpose? Such questions aren’t irrelevant. Presumably, Jesus could have appeared to the disciples in a number of ways – but he chose to walk on water. What was the significance of this miracle?

For context, the disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee traveling to Bethsaida. This was at the command of Jesus, but he stayed behind to pray on a mountain (6:45-46). When evening came, Jesus could see that the disciples were having a hard time. Verse 48 says, “They were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.”

The disciples are caught in a storm, and this is when Jesus appears to them on the water. When they see him, they think he’s a ghost! They cry out in fear; they are terrified (6:48-49). But Jesus immediately speaks words of comfort: “Take heart. It is I, do not be afraid” (6:50). When he enters the boat, the wind ceases and the disciples are greatly amazed (6:51). By this miracle, Jesus comes to the disciples’ rescue and he displays his divine power. But its placement in Mark 6 gives us an even deeper meaning. (more…)

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On July 23, 2018 By In Theology

Trees of Life

As we come to the end of the Bible, there are some things that are intriguingly similar to the beginning. In the beginning, God created the man and placed him in a garden that he had planted in the land of Eden, telling him to be fruitful and multiply. This garden had a river that ran through it and split into four different rivers outside of the garden. In the midst of the garden were two trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Man was invited to come to the Tree of Life but forbidden to partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the midst of the garden, at this Tree, God would communicate his life to man. Man would enjoy communion with God there at this Tree, being nourished in every way to be what his Father had created him to be. (more…)

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On July 19, 2018 By In Theology

The Feeding of the 5,000 as a Lesson to the Disciples (Mark 6:30-44)

The feeding of the 5,000 is a famous miracle of Jesus, but the significance of its placement in Mark 6 is often overlooked. The preceding story is the beheading of John the Baptist. Herod threw a banquet for his nobles and military men, and it was there that John’s head was served up on a platter (6:21-28). Herod kills God’s people and offers their flesh as symbolic food to his guests.

The very next story in Mark 6 is the feeding of the 5,000. Now we see Jesus  feeding people. Not with a chopped off head, but with real food – fish and bread. There are two meals in Mark 6. One hosted by Herod, the evil king. The other by Christ, the good shepherd. The text presents us with a competition: Whose party is better? Whose table do you want to eat at? Jesus is placed in contrast to Herod and shown to be a true king. He’s even shown to have his own nobles and military men – the 12 disciples – and they play a large role in this story.

Jesus’ ministry has become so popular that neither he nor the disciples have time to rest or eat (6:31). People from all the towns are rushing to be close to them (6:33). It’s not just Jesus who’s getting the attention, but Jesus and his disciples. They, too, are experiencing fame from their teachings and miracles (6:7, 12-13, 30). (more…)

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On July 16, 2018 By In Theology

The Church: God’s Glory

In Revelation 21, John describes the city-bride as “having the glory of God” (21.11). She is a new Holy of Holies, the place where the glory of God is enthroned above the cherubim. God’s glory is seen in her and through her. That glory is the light by which the nations will walk (21.24). The church, being the body of Christ, is the place where the glory of God dwells on earth.

What is the glory of God? God’s glory is the revelation of himself, his person, power, and perfections. We might tend to think of God’s glory as something that is “contained” in God himself. We only stand at a distance and see the glory of God. It is true that God is glorious in himself. Men come into the presence of an all-glorious God, and they see their own deficiencies in his presence. Isaiah is but one example of this. He sees YHWH seated upon the throne in his temple, and he cries out “Woe is me!” (Isa 6.1ff.). (more…)

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On July 12, 2018 By In Theology

False Jephthah, False Esther, New Jezebel (Mark 6:14-29)

In Mark 6, Herodias plots and schemes to put John the Baptist to death. She is unhappy with John because he criticized her marriage to Herod. Herodias was originally married to Herod’s brother Philip, but Herod took Herodias as his own wife (6:17). This violated Leviticus 18:16 and John confronted Herod about it (6:18). Herodias wasn’t receptive to the correction.

Herodias wanted to put John to death, but Herod did not. He tried to reach a compromise by putting John in jail (6:17, 20). This satisfied Herod, but it didn’t satisfy Herodias. She will go on to use trickery to get what she wants.

Herodias’ daughter (now Herod’s step-daughter) danced before Herod and all of his nobles and military men at his birthday banquet. Herod was so impressed with her that he offered her anything she wanted: “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom” (6:22-23). This was a rash vow that Herod will end up regretting. Herodias takes advantage of the opportunity and instructs her daughter to ask for John to be beheaded (6:24). (more…)

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On July 9, 2018 By In Theology, Worship

The Church: The Holy Of Holies City

At the end of Revelation, John sees a vision of the church, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. She is a “holy city.” This holiness takes an architectural shape in this vision. John tells us that the city is a perfect cube; its width, height, and length are all the same. This cube-shaped image of holiness is not unusual. The Temple had a room that was cube-shaped: the Holiest Place or the Holy of Holies. Those measurements were distinct for this room. The Holy Place (the first room one entered in the Temple) was twice as long as it was wide. But the Holy of Holies was a perfect cube: 20 x 20 x 20 cubits (1Kg 6.20; Ezek 41.4). John’s vision is that the New Jerusalem, the church, is a “Holy of Holies city.” There are no more veils to hide us from God or God from us. No boundaries exist between the church and the throne of God. We, the city of God, live in the presence of God continually.

Understanding the architectural reference of the church being the Holy of Holies shapes the way we are to think about holiness. What is the Holy of Holies, and, consequently, what does that tell us about our own holiness? (more…)

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On July 5, 2018 By In Theology

Rejecting the Carpenter Christ (Mark 6:1-6)

In Mark 6, Jesus begins teaching at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. Many people are “astonished” at his wisdom and the mighty works performed “by his hands” (6:2). Yet instead of being enamored with Jesus, the crowd is offended at him (6:3). The Greek word translated as “offended” is skandalizó, which means to “scandalize” or “cause to stumble.” The crowd doesn’t respond to Jesus in faith and devotion, they respond with suspicion. They seek to discredit him. Nazareth’s offense lies at the center of verses 1-6:

A. Jesus arrives to Nazareth; teaches in synagogue (vv. 1-2a)
…B. Many are astonished by Jesus (v. 2a)
……C. Mighty works are performed by hands (v. 2b)
………D. Carpenter; Mary, Brothers, Sisters (v. 3a)
…………E. “They were offended at him” (v. 3b)
………D’. Prophet; Country, Relatives, House (v. 4)
……C’. No mighty works, except a few by hands (v. 5)
…B’. Jesus marvels at Nazareth (v. 6a)
A’. Jesus goes to the villages, teaching in a circuit (v. 6b)

In their astonishment, the crowd asks, “Is this not the carpenter?” Here we have a vocation attributed to Jesus. This is the only story in the Bible that alludes to Jesus’ vocation, or him having one at all (cf. Mt. 13:55). Though Scripture never confirms this to be Jesus’ vocation, we have reason to believe the crowd. They aren’t wrong about Mary being his mother (Mt. 1:16) or of him having siblings (Mk. 3:32-35). They have an adequate knowledge of Jesus’ life, so much so that they presume to know the names of his brothers. It’s reasonable to conclude that the crowd would also know Jesus’ vocation. (more…)

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On July 2, 2018 By In Theology

The Church: The New Jerusalem

At the end of the Revelation, John sees a new heavens and a new earth with a New Jerusalem as its principal city. The fate of the old Jerusalem has been described in the previous chapters. The first Jerusalem became Sodom and Egypt (Rev 11.8), and like Sodom and Egypt fell under the wrath of God. But out of the rubble of the old Jerusalem, God is making a new city. This new city is described in Revelation 21–22.

I have heard many a sermon at funerals as well as other venues that seek to comfort mourning Christians with this vision. It will be taught that John’s vision is that of our final resting place in heaven. While we can be comforted with many promises from John’s vision, this vision is not of heaven. This city that John sees is distinct from heaven because it comes down “out of heaven” (Rev 21.2). The New Jerusalem is also as much a people as it is a place. John sees the New Jerusalem as a “bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21.2). Later, when the angel takes John to see the bride, the Lamb’s wife, he shows him a detailed vision of this holy city, the New Jerusalem (Rev 21.9-10). This vision is not of heaven, but it is of a heavenly city. That heavenly city is the church, the bride of Christ. (more…)

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On June 28, 2018 By In Podcast, Theology

Episode 30: Baptisms in the Bible: Fire, Spirit, and Water

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:19 — 19.0MB)

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Does baptism save? What is the role of the Spirit in baptism? What is the nature and significance of our baptisms today? These questions and others are the focus of this insightful podcast. Pastor Uri Brito speaks with Pastor Adam McIntosh who recently published a three-part essay developing the connections of fire, water, and Spirit to baptisms (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). Adam uses his charismatic background to develop the contrast between a sacramental view and the non-sacramental views found in the charismatic and broad evangelical traditions. Adam hopes that these essays will provide a helpful introduction of the various baptisms found throughout the Bible foundational for how we are to understand baptism in the New Covenant.

 

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