Justin Jackson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Justin Jackson

Research paper thumbnail of Raised up from the Dust: An Exploration of Hannah's Reversal Motif in the Book of Esther as Evidence of Divine Sovereignty

Themelios, 2021

The book of Esther presents a challenge for many modern interpreters, since the book does not men... more The book of Esther presents a challenge for many modern interpreters, since the book does not mention the name of God or his direct action. is glaring omission has led some throughout history to doubt Esther's place in the canon of Scripture. Contrary to such doubts, this article seeks to show that textual evidence of God's sovereign work does indeed exist in Esther. By highlighting the inner-biblical parallels between Hannah's psalm of great reversal in 1 Samuel 2 and the events that take place in Esther, this article will argue that Esther presents the God of Israel as the same God who humbles the self-exalting and exalts the humble whether it be in the life of King David or the lives of his exilic people in Persia.

Research paper thumbnail of The Bows of the Mighty Are Broken: The "Fall" of the Proud and the Exaltation of the Humble in 1 Samuel

Themelios 46.2, 2021

Modern scholarship has questioned the literary unity of Samuel's Narrative (especially 1 Samuel),... more Modern scholarship has questioned the literary unity of Samuel's Narrative (especially 1 Samuel), concluding that Samuel presents a fractured and, oftentimes, contradictory theological message. is article seeks to demonstrate 1 Samuel's literary unity by highlighting the great reversal motif and the "fall" of the arrogant. e author explores four "falls" and the subsequent exaltations of the humble. e unified theological message of 1 Samuel is that God humbles the self-exalting and exalts the humble, thereby proving his sovereignty and his plan to raise up a humble prince to reign over God's people.

Research paper thumbnail of THE GOD WHO ACTS: LUKE'S PRESENTATION OF GOD

Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 2021

The work of God and person of God must be considered together because his being is revealed throu... more The work of God and person of God must be considered together because his being is revealed through his work, and his work is motivated by his being. Luke writes of that which "has been accomplished," prompting the question of what exactly had been accomplished and by whom. This article surveys Luke's presentation of God's self-revelation through both his work and his person and shows that the Gospel of Luke presents God as the God of Israel who has accomplished the New Exodus and established Davidic dominion through his divine Son by the Holy Spirit, resulting in salvation for the nations.

Research paper thumbnail of THE ONE WHO RETURNED: A RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE READING OF RUTH

Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 2020

This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its ... more This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its historical context, its literary structure, its theological message, and its typological trajectory to Jesus Christ. Borrowing from themes found in the Pentateuch, the author seeks to show that David's genealogy and reign is a continuation of God's redemptive work in the past. In this way, the book of Ruth builds upon the preceding redemptive-historical narrative and points beyond itself to the future ingathering of the nations. Ruth is to be read as a covenantal, canonical connector that links God's covenant promises in the Torah to Davidic kingship, which then sets the trajectory to the final fulfillment of Abrahamic blessing to the nations through the Messiah. Biblical theology, properly engaged, requires an appropriate tension between unity and diversity. The unified theological message of the Bible is not monotonal but rather harmonic. The choral arrangement of the canon is filled with the bass of the Torah-narratives, the altos and tenors of the Prophets, the sopranos of the Psalms, and the baritones of the Gospels and Epistles-each one remains distinct and yet, when heard together, they create a satisfying melody that sings the song of God's redemptive work in and through Christ Jesus. The task of biblical theology is to amplify the Bible's theological harmony while at the same time recognizing the rich diversity found in each book of the canon. Paul House summarizes, "Unitary reading should proceed on a book-by-book exegetical basis so that each book's discrete message will be recognized." 1 He adds, "Unitary canonical biblical theology must be built through the sustained testimony of successive books; it must not be constructed at the expense of any part of Scripture." 2 In other words, biblical theology first listens to the individual voices of the biblical authors (in their various historical contexts) and only afterward hears those voices singing together in ca-nonical harmony.

Research paper thumbnail of Raised up from the Dust: An Exploration of Hannah's Reversal Motif in the Book of Esther as Evidence of Divine Sovereignty

Themelios, 2021

The book of Esther presents a challenge for many modern interpreters, since the book does not men... more The book of Esther presents a challenge for many modern interpreters, since the book does not mention the name of God or his direct action. is glaring omission has led some throughout history to doubt Esther's place in the canon of Scripture. Contrary to such doubts, this article seeks to show that textual evidence of God's sovereign work does indeed exist in Esther. By highlighting the inner-biblical parallels between Hannah's psalm of great reversal in 1 Samuel 2 and the events that take place in Esther, this article will argue that Esther presents the God of Israel as the same God who humbles the self-exalting and exalts the humble whether it be in the life of King David or the lives of his exilic people in Persia.

Research paper thumbnail of The Bows of the Mighty Are Broken: The "Fall" of the Proud and the Exaltation of the Humble in 1 Samuel

Themelios 46.2, 2021

Modern scholarship has questioned the literary unity of Samuel's Narrative (especially 1 Samuel),... more Modern scholarship has questioned the literary unity of Samuel's Narrative (especially 1 Samuel), concluding that Samuel presents a fractured and, oftentimes, contradictory theological message. is article seeks to demonstrate 1 Samuel's literary unity by highlighting the great reversal motif and the "fall" of the arrogant. e author explores four "falls" and the subsequent exaltations of the humble. e unified theological message of 1 Samuel is that God humbles the self-exalting and exalts the humble, thereby proving his sovereignty and his plan to raise up a humble prince to reign over God's people.

Research paper thumbnail of THE GOD WHO ACTS: LUKE'S PRESENTATION OF GOD

Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 2021

The work of God and person of God must be considered together because his being is revealed throu... more The work of God and person of God must be considered together because his being is revealed through his work, and his work is motivated by his being. Luke writes of that which "has been accomplished," prompting the question of what exactly had been accomplished and by whom. This article surveys Luke's presentation of God's self-revelation through both his work and his person and shows that the Gospel of Luke presents God as the God of Israel who has accomplished the New Exodus and established Davidic dominion through his divine Son by the Holy Spirit, resulting in salvation for the nations.

Research paper thumbnail of THE ONE WHO RETURNED: A RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE READING OF RUTH

Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 2020

This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its ... more This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its historical context, its literary structure, its theological message, and its typological trajectory to Jesus Christ. Borrowing from themes found in the Pentateuch, the author seeks to show that David's genealogy and reign is a continuation of God's redemptive work in the past. In this way, the book of Ruth builds upon the preceding redemptive-historical narrative and points beyond itself to the future ingathering of the nations. Ruth is to be read as a covenantal, canonical connector that links God's covenant promises in the Torah to Davidic kingship, which then sets the trajectory to the final fulfillment of Abrahamic blessing to the nations through the Messiah. Biblical theology, properly engaged, requires an appropriate tension between unity and diversity. The unified theological message of the Bible is not monotonal but rather harmonic. The choral arrangement of the canon is filled with the bass of the Torah-narratives, the altos and tenors of the Prophets, the sopranos of the Psalms, and the baritones of the Gospels and Epistles-each one remains distinct and yet, when heard together, they create a satisfying melody that sings the song of God's redemptive work in and through Christ Jesus. The task of biblical theology is to amplify the Bible's theological harmony while at the same time recognizing the rich diversity found in each book of the canon. Paul House summarizes, "Unitary reading should proceed on a book-by-book exegetical basis so that each book's discrete message will be recognized." 1 He adds, "Unitary canonical biblical theology must be built through the sustained testimony of successive books; it must not be constructed at the expense of any part of Scripture." 2 In other words, biblical theology first listens to the individual voices of the biblical authors (in their various historical contexts) and only afterward hears those voices singing together in ca-nonical harmony.