New Testament Use of the Old Testament

It is challenging to understand how the NT writers use the Old Testament. At times it seems they may be using it in a completely different context from the way it was understood by the Old Testament writers.

And in Hebrews at least, the writer will cite something as applying to Christ which the OT says of God. You can see this repeatedly in Hebrews 1.

I found this interesting comment on Calvin’s understanding of this issue in Five Views on Law and Gospel in Willem vanGemeren’s chapter, pages 51-52, in which he is citing John Hesselink:

What is said of God in the Old Testament can without any twisting, manipulating or allegorising be applied to Christ in the New Testament, because when God is referred to in the bible, Christ is presupposed.

I’m looking forward to Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, edited by Greg Beale and Don Carson, said to be available in the US in November.

Chris Langham's Shame

Chris Langham is one of my favourite comedians. I have not yet seen Help, but thoroughly enjoyed People Like Us, and also his work with Caroline Quentin.

I am so sorry to hear that he has been involved in downloading live video of children being sexually abused.

I see he used the same excuse as Pete Townshend [note that H, by the way]: it was for research purposes.

If a person were genuinely researching child pornography, he would have to do it in a controlled environment, with supervision, wouldn't you think?

His sentence of 10 months does sound very low when you compare it with people being gaoled for over a year for putting graffiti in a public place.

Honouring our parents in the faith

This is one of many helpful blogs from Mandy. It's prompted me to reflect on people who have helped me in my Christian walk.

Almost 50 years ago, my mother [who turned 90 on 12th September] led me to faith in Christ by answering my question about why we have Christmas, on Christmas Day, 1957.

Mum was good at talking about her faith, but my dad wasn't. However, he was very good at living it. Dad was never able to get a word in edgeways, as he himself often said, but he was a kind, hard-working, methodical man who took promises seriously. When he made the Christian Endeavour pledge at the age of 14, he kept it. He promised to pray and read the bible every day, so he did, until he was unable to read any more.

He kept a diary every day for almost 30 years, after we gave him a 5 year diary for Christmas in 1964. Every 5 years, we'd buy him another one. They don't seem to sell them any more, so last year I began one of my own, by ruling up a big diary with one page for each day.

He used to read his bible and fill in his diary each evening. The diary is not very exciting and he never once referred to what he had been reading in the Scriptures, but I know that he did read them every day.

Our Sunday School superintendent, Ces Williams, made me think through my faith, as did Tom Mascord, our faithful Sunday School teacher for many years.

By God's grace I was able to thank them for what the did for me a few years back. I couldn't do it now, because they are both with Christ. Have you thanked your parents in the faith?