ECT Theology and History are Inseparable

[George Affleck]

It has been in my thinking lately how biblical theology and history are so completely and inextricably linked.

From creation, to the flood, to Babel, the giving of the law, the prophetic utterances, the exile, the birth of Christ, His life, death and resurrection; it all takes place in history. And it is only because it is history that we can organize our study of God and His purposes.

Apart from the anchor of these historical events, all theology is adrift in speculation.

"Historical fact and theological message belong inseparably together because salvation history is
real history. The message of Jesus’ resurrection is crucial, and this historical fact is our only hope for eternal life."
Jiri Moskala

I maintain that God, in His wisdom, designed these things to be played out and recorded in history. Notably, the greatest attacks on the Church in the last two centuries have been on the historicity of the Bible.

 

[Interplanner]

It has been in my thinking lately how biblical theology and history are so completely and inextricably linked.

From creation, to the flood, to Babel, the giving of the law, the prophetic utterances, the exile, the birth of Christ, His life, death and resurrection; it all takes place in history. And it is only because it is history that we can organize our study of God and His purposes.

Apart from the anchor of these historical events, all theology is adrift in speculation.

"Historical fact and theological message belong inseparably together because salvation history is
real history. The message of Jesus’ resurrection is crucial, and this historical fact is our only hope for eternal life."
Jiri Moskala

I maintain that God, in His wisdom, designed these things to be played out and recorded in history. Notably, the greatest attacks on the Church in the last two centuries have been on the historicity of the Bible.

"Attacks" in the sense of exploding the eschatological passages from their period roots, and imposing or imagining modern events to be fulfillments of things that were about the 1st century. Nothing sinks the NT in its history as solidly as relating it to the Great Revolt of 66-72.

 

[2003cobra]

It has been in my thinking lately how biblical theology and history are so completely and inextricably linked.

From creation, to the flood, to Babel, the giving of the law, the prophetic utterances, the exile, the birth of Christ, His life, death and resurrection; it all takes place in history. And it is only because it is history that we can organize our study of God and His purposes.

Apart from the anchor of these historical events, all theology is adrift in speculation.

"Historical fact and theological message belong inseparably together because salvation history is
real history. The message of Jesus’ resurrection is crucial, and this historical fact is our only hope for eternal life."
Jiri Moskala

I maintain that God, in His wisdom, designed these things to be played out and recorded in history. Notably, the greatest attacks on the Church in the last two centuries have been on the historicity of the Bible.

One of the greatest tools in the the arsenal of the forces of darkness in recent decades has been the false claim that the stories in the early chapters of Genesis must be taken as literal history or the gospel collapses.

The evidence that God has given us in creation and in scripture proves that tying the historicity of those early chapters of Genesis to the credibility of the resurrection is foolish and harmful to the kingdom of God.

 

[George Affleck]

One of the greatest tools in the the arsenal of the forces of darkness in recent decades has been the false claim that the stories in the early chapters of Genesis must be taken as literal history or the gospel collapses.

The evidence that God has given us in creation and in scripture proves that tying the historicity of those early chapters of Genesis to the credibility of the resurrection is foolish and harmful to the kingdom of God.

Jesus disagrees with you and so do I.

John5:46-47KJV
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

 

[George Affleck]

“The process of revelation is not only concomitant with history, but it becomes incarnate in history. The facts of history themselves acquire a revealing significance.”
Geerhardus Vos

 

[George Affleck]

The Resurrection is the greatest of all events to happen in time.
The promise of Easter is linked to Genesis.

Gen 3:15KJV

1Cor 15:21KJV

2 Cor 4:6-7KJV

 

[Interplanner]

cobra2003 should next hear out the lecture by P. James-Griffith on youtube, "Tracing Genesis through Ancient Culture." It is literary-paleontology study, showing that the world-myths can be traced from Genesis, not to it, with supporting quotes by some very established people in British museums and collections. The point being that the other world myths would never exist if they had not been facts in Genesis first. Other than the difficulty of Scottish accent, it is one of the best studies I know of on the subject.

 

[George Affleck]

cobra2003 should next hear out the lecture by P. James-Griffith on youtube, "Tracing Genesis through Ancient Culture." It is literary-paleontology study, showing that the world-myths can be traced from Genesis, not to it, with supporting quotes by some very established people in British museums and collections. The point being that the other world myths would never exist if they had not been facts in Genesis first. Other than the difficulty of Scottish accent, it is one of the best studies I know of on the subject.

Oh good!
Ya, he's not a fan of anything that challenges his mantra.
He's obviously heavily invested in it.

I also read something interesting the other day close on this same topic.

"That the author of the biblical creation narratives writes from the theological point of view can be supported by the fact that he engages in a polemic with mythological stories of his time. Thus this anti-mythological account reflects not only his knowledge of those extra-biblical creation epics,but also proves that he is free to make his own unique contribution as it was revealed to him (Deut 29:29; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 11:3). The author is writing from a specific standpoint, emphasizing anti-mythological points in order to clarify the true origin of the world."

The whole tenor of Genesis is authoritative and "anti-mythological". There is no doubt that the writer saw it as history.

 

[2003cobra]

Jesus disagrees with you and so do I.

John5:46-47KJV
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

That passage is not about creation.

That was not the point of His discussion.

The passage is about their rejecting Jesus.

Your statement is incorrect and a misapplication of scripture.