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Research paper thumbnail of Author-Intended Typology in the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1–21)

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2024

This essay seeks to show that to be valid interpretations, typological expectations must be based... more This essay seeks to show that to be valid interpretations, typological expectations must be based on what the human authors of Scripture intended to communicate. As a test case, we consider the Song of the Sea in Exodus 15, which this essay also contends is a chiasm. Moses has employed the chiastic literary structure to communicate the historical correspondence and escalation foundational to typology. By positioning the celebration of the defeat of Egypt at the exodus across from the conquest of Canaan in the chiasm, the author prophesies that the conquest will be an installment in the exodus pattern. The way that God worked for Israel at
the exodus is the way he will work for them at the conquest. In other words, Moses sings the exodus as a type of the conquest, indicating that the conquest will be a new exodus.

Aligning the statements visually this way brings out their parallel construction. At beginning and end there is a leader, Moses then Miriam, and whereas Moses leads “the sons of Israel” in 15:1, Miriam leads “all the women” in 15:20. These parallels would suggest that here it would be better to render the phrase oe pat) not as “the people of Israel’? (ESV) or “the Israelites” (CSB, NET, NIV) or even “the children of Israel” (KJV) but as it reads, “the sons of Israel” (NASB) because of the way it stands in contrast with Miriam leading the women. The role of the leader can be seen in the singular verbs: “Moses sang” (sg.), with a way of accompaniment attaching “the sons of Israel’? to what Moses did;

Research paper thumbnail of The Rock Was Christ: How Paul Read the Pentateuch

The Rock Was Christ: How Paul Read the Pentateuch

desiringGod.org, 2022

“And the Rock was Christ.” Some have interpreted Paul’s claim in 1 Corinthians 10:4 as a departu... more “And the Rock was Christ.” Some have interpreted Paul’s claim in 1 Corinthians 10:4 as a departure from grammatical-historical exegesis, or even as evidence that Paul gave credence to unhistorical Jewish myths. A close reading of his words against the backdrop of the canon, however, shows that Paul was reading Moses the way Moses intended. In the Pentateuch, Moses identifies the two water-giving rocks in the wilderness with Yahweh himself. Later in the Old Testament, the psalmists and prophets further identify the rock with Yahweh and look forward to a new exodus. In the Gospels, Jesus fulfills Old Testament expectations for that new exodus, with himself as the bread from heaven and water-giving rock. And in 1 Corinthians, therefore, Paul embraces the united perspective of the biblical authors. In drinking water from the rock, the Israelites drank from a type of Christ, who now lives as the thirst-quenching spiritual Rock of the church.

Research paper thumbnail of THE CHIASTIC STRUCTURE OF THE ATHANASIAN CREED

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2023

This essay exposits the chiastic structure of the Athanasian Creed and contends that understandin... more This essay exposits the chiastic structure of the Athanasian Creed and contends that understanding the Creed's literary structure facilitates understanding the Creed's message. The Creed is widely recognized to consist of two parts, the first on the Trinity, the second on the incarnation. What has not been noted in scholarship is that each part is a self-contained chiasm, with the two chiasms joined together by the overarching inclusio at beginning and end.

Research paper thumbnail of The Church Militant and Her Warfare.SBJTformatted

Research paper thumbnail of Did the New Testament Authors Read the Psalter as a Book

SBJT, 2021

Gerald Wilson usually receives credit for jumpstarting the modern discussion of the Psalter as a ... more Gerald Wilson usually receives credit for jumpstarting the modern discussion of the Psalter as a Book. In the wake of Wilson, scholars have begun to notice that approaching the Psalter as a unified whole was not unheard of prior to Wilson. David Gundersen had drawn my attention to a statement by Augustine showing his interest in the topic, and from statements made by Gregory of Nyssa, we can see that he too sought to read the Psalms in light of their order and arrangement in the Psalter. Steffen Jenkins has recently demonstrated “The Antiquity of Psalter Shape Efforts.” David Mitchell and Adam Hensley have likewise pointed to evidence that the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the early church fathers, and the rabbis understood the Psalter as a purposefully shaped collection. This essay seeks to contribute to the discussion by answering the question posed in its title: is there evidence in the New Testament that its authors read the Psalter as a book?

Research paper thumbnail of WEALTH AND POVERTY IN PROVERBS AND ECCLESIASTES

Presbyterion, 2022

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. Better i... more All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Research paper thumbnail of Typology in Hebrews: A Response to Buist Fanning

Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of The Holy Spirit and Christian Worship: The Life Giving Legacy of the Apostolic Band

Midwestern Journal of Theology 18.1, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Did the Church Borrow Leadership Structures from the Old Testament or Synagogue?

Research paper thumbnail of How to Condone What the Bible Condemns: Matthew Vines Takes on the Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of Suffering in Revelation: The Fulfillment of the Messianic Woes

Fig. 1. Symbolic timeline in Revelation What, then, of the symbolic timeline in Revela- ion? It can be depicted briefly”* below in Fig. 1: look like Jesus in some ways, but they are not Jesus.

Research paper thumbnail of Does the Bible Condone Slavery and Sexism?

Research paper thumbnail of The Typology of David's Rise to Power: Messianic Patterns in the Book of Samuel 1

Fig. 1. Typological Points of Contact between Samuel and Mark

Research paper thumbnail of A Biblical Theology of Motherhood

Research paper thumbnail of Appreciation, Agreement, and a Few Minor Quibbles: A Response to G. K. Beale

G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from t... more G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from these trees comes an oleoresin that has medicinal value: balm. G. K. Beale is a balsam tree planted by streams of living water, bearing fruit in season and out, leading people to the balm of Gilead. In my initial experience of theological education, I was taught that the authors of the NT make illegitimate appeals to the OT in ways that should not be imitated. The two tall scholarly trees that God used to point me to the Emmaus road, the path one travels to understand that the authors of the NT rightly understood the OT, were

G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from these trees comes an oleoresin that has medicinal value: balm. G. K. Beale is a balsam tree planted by streams of living water, bearing fruit in season and out, leading people to the balm of Gilead. In my initial experience of theological education, I was taught that the authors of the NT make illegitimate appeals to the OT in ways that should not be imitated. The two tall scholarly trees that God used to point me to the Emmaus road, the path one travels to understand that the authors of the NT rightly understood the OT, were Drs. Thomas R. Schreiner’ and G. K. Beale.’ Beale’s book, The Temple and the Church’s

Research paper thumbnail of The Mystery of Marriage

Research paper thumbnail of John Sailhamer's THE MEANING OF THE PENTATEUCH: A Review Essay

A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Sailhamer and visit with him for a few moments. Whe... more A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Sailhamer and visit with him for a few moments. When I asked him who he read and who influenced his thinking, he explained that he had given himself to reading mainly German and Latin works, which meant that he did not spend much time with contemporary work being done in English.

Research paper thumbnail of That the Coming Generation Might Praise the Lord: Family Discipleship in the Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of THE LORD'S SUPPER IN PAUL: AN IDENTITY-FORMING PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL

Research paper thumbnail of Still Sola Scriptura: An Evangelical View of Scripture

Research paper thumbnail of Author-Intended Typology in the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1–21)

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2024

This essay seeks to show that to be valid interpretations, typological expectations must be based... more This essay seeks to show that to be valid interpretations, typological expectations must be based on what the human authors of Scripture intended to communicate. As a test case, we consider the Song of the Sea in Exodus 15, which this essay also contends is a chiasm. Moses has employed the chiastic literary structure to communicate the historical correspondence and escalation foundational to typology. By positioning the celebration of the defeat of Egypt at the exodus across from the conquest of Canaan in the chiasm, the author prophesies that the conquest will be an installment in the exodus pattern. The way that God worked for Israel at
the exodus is the way he will work for them at the conquest. In other words, Moses sings the exodus as a type of the conquest, indicating that the conquest will be a new exodus.

Aligning the statements visually this way brings out their parallel construction. At beginning and end there is a leader, Moses then Miriam, and whereas Moses leads “the sons of Israel” in 15:1, Miriam leads “all the women” in 15:20. These parallels would suggest that here it would be better to render the phrase oe pat) not as “the people of Israel’? (ESV) or “the Israelites” (CSB, NET, NIV) or even “the children of Israel” (KJV) but as it reads, “the sons of Israel” (NASB) because of the way it stands in contrast with Miriam leading the women. The role of the leader can be seen in the singular verbs: “Moses sang” (sg.), with a way of accompaniment attaching “the sons of Israel’? to what Moses did;

Research paper thumbnail of The Rock Was Christ: How Paul Read the Pentateuch

The Rock Was Christ: How Paul Read the Pentateuch

desiringGod.org, 2022

“And the Rock was Christ.” Some have interpreted Paul’s claim in 1 Corinthians 10:4 as a departu... more “And the Rock was Christ.” Some have interpreted Paul’s claim in 1 Corinthians 10:4 as a departure from grammatical-historical exegesis, or even as evidence that Paul gave credence to unhistorical Jewish myths. A close reading of his words against the backdrop of the canon, however, shows that Paul was reading Moses the way Moses intended. In the Pentateuch, Moses identifies the two water-giving rocks in the wilderness with Yahweh himself. Later in the Old Testament, the psalmists and prophets further identify the rock with Yahweh and look forward to a new exodus. In the Gospels, Jesus fulfills Old Testament expectations for that new exodus, with himself as the bread from heaven and water-giving rock. And in 1 Corinthians, therefore, Paul embraces the united perspective of the biblical authors. In drinking water from the rock, the Israelites drank from a type of Christ, who now lives as the thirst-quenching spiritual Rock of the church.

Research paper thumbnail of THE CHIASTIC STRUCTURE OF THE ATHANASIAN CREED

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2023

This essay exposits the chiastic structure of the Athanasian Creed and contends that understandin... more This essay exposits the chiastic structure of the Athanasian Creed and contends that understanding the Creed's literary structure facilitates understanding the Creed's message. The Creed is widely recognized to consist of two parts, the first on the Trinity, the second on the incarnation. What has not been noted in scholarship is that each part is a self-contained chiasm, with the two chiasms joined together by the overarching inclusio at beginning and end.

Research paper thumbnail of The Church Militant and Her Warfare.SBJTformatted

Research paper thumbnail of Did the New Testament Authors Read the Psalter as a Book

SBJT, 2021

Gerald Wilson usually receives credit for jumpstarting the modern discussion of the Psalter as a ... more Gerald Wilson usually receives credit for jumpstarting the modern discussion of the Psalter as a Book. In the wake of Wilson, scholars have begun to notice that approaching the Psalter as a unified whole was not unheard of prior to Wilson. David Gundersen had drawn my attention to a statement by Augustine showing his interest in the topic, and from statements made by Gregory of Nyssa, we can see that he too sought to read the Psalms in light of their order and arrangement in the Psalter. Steffen Jenkins has recently demonstrated “The Antiquity of Psalter Shape Efforts.” David Mitchell and Adam Hensley have likewise pointed to evidence that the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the early church fathers, and the rabbis understood the Psalter as a purposefully shaped collection. This essay seeks to contribute to the discussion by answering the question posed in its title: is there evidence in the New Testament that its authors read the Psalter as a book?

Research paper thumbnail of WEALTH AND POVERTY IN PROVERBS AND ECCLESIASTES

Presbyterion, 2022

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. Better i... more All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Research paper thumbnail of Typology in Hebrews: A Response to Buist Fanning

Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of The Holy Spirit and Christian Worship: The Life Giving Legacy of the Apostolic Band

Midwestern Journal of Theology 18.1, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Did the Church Borrow Leadership Structures from the Old Testament or Synagogue?

Research paper thumbnail of How to Condone What the Bible Condemns: Matthew Vines Takes on the Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of Suffering in Revelation: The Fulfillment of the Messianic Woes

Fig. 1. Symbolic timeline in Revelation What, then, of the symbolic timeline in Revela- ion? It can be depicted briefly”* below in Fig. 1: look like Jesus in some ways, but they are not Jesus.

Research paper thumbnail of Does the Bible Condone Slavery and Sexism?

Research paper thumbnail of The Typology of David's Rise to Power: Messianic Patterns in the Book of Samuel 1

Fig. 1. Typological Points of Contact between Samuel and Mark

Research paper thumbnail of A Biblical Theology of Motherhood

Research paper thumbnail of Appreciation, Agreement, and a Few Minor Quibbles: A Response to G. K. Beale

G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from t... more G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from these trees comes an oleoresin that has medicinal value: balm. G. K. Beale is a balsam tree planted by streams of living water, bearing fruit in season and out, leading people to the balm of Gilead. In my initial experience of theological education, I was taught that the authors of the NT make illegitimate appeals to the OT in ways that should not be imitated. The two tall scholarly trees that God used to point me to the Emmaus road, the path one travels to understand that the authors of the NT rightly understood the OT, were

G. K. Beale is a balsam tree. Balsam is a fragrant aroma of the tree that produces it, and from these trees comes an oleoresin that has medicinal value: balm. G. K. Beale is a balsam tree planted by streams of living water, bearing fruit in season and out, leading people to the balm of Gilead. In my initial experience of theological education, I was taught that the authors of the NT make illegitimate appeals to the OT in ways that should not be imitated. The two tall scholarly trees that God used to point me to the Emmaus road, the path one travels to understand that the authors of the NT rightly understood the OT, were Drs. Thomas R. Schreiner’ and G. K. Beale.’ Beale’s book, The Temple and the Church’s

Research paper thumbnail of The Mystery of Marriage

Research paper thumbnail of John Sailhamer's THE MEANING OF THE PENTATEUCH: A Review Essay

A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Sailhamer and visit with him for a few moments. Whe... more A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Sailhamer and visit with him for a few moments. When I asked him who he read and who influenced his thinking, he explained that he had given himself to reading mainly German and Latin works, which meant that he did not spend much time with contemporary work being done in English.

Research paper thumbnail of That the Coming Generation Might Praise the Lord: Family Discipleship in the Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of THE LORD'S SUPPER IN PAUL: AN IDENTITY-FORMING PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL

Research paper thumbnail of Still Sola Scriptura: An Evangelical View of Scripture