Pre-Marriage Counseling: Preparing for the Ride of Your Life

Assignment:
Prepare a six to eight week course that you could use to teach either Pre-Marriage Preparation or Marriage Enrichment. This should be detailed enough for you to use as is. Include what topics you would cover, what you would say under each of these topics (outline form), what reading you would have them do, what exercises and homework you would assign. There are many programs available for each of these topics—you may use them to aid you, but do not replicate any one. Please include material from your readings, lectures and sermons, and make a note of that for my benefit. Incorporating material from lectures and readings will enhance your grade.

Cast Study - Treatment Plan

In the first couple sessions with Jeff and Susan they have provided a number of key issues that are complicating their marriage and keeping them from enjoying each other. The majority of which can be dealt with together within joint sessions, but the rather large issue with Susan relates to her previous relationship which could be dealt with more affectively in separate sessions. Jointly Jeff and Susan are experiencing issues with their personal friendship, communication, and leadership or gender roles, while Susan is struggling personally with holding onto the loss of her previous relationship, the sexual baggage that comes along with that and the sovereignty of God in whether she made a mistake marrying Jeff or not. These issues with Susan, while they eventually need to be brought back to the joint sessions, would more affectively be dealt with in one-on-one sessions, so Susan can feel as safe as possible to express herself without feeling like she will hurt Jeff in the process. Creating this safety and growing trust for Susan will be integral in dealing with the broader issues in their marriage.

The broader issues of their friendship, communication and leadership are unfortunately very common in young relationships especially ones with such short dating or courtships. It is clear that Jeff spends a lot of time traveling for business and Susan spends a lot of time with her friends, but they don’t seem to spend a great deal of time together. Without the essential element of togetherness it makes it difficult for them to build their friendship, address their issues of communicating affectively with one another and for Jeff to show leadership in their relationship. As homework, I would suggest that they each make a before and after calendar. The before should be done independently and show how they are presently spending their time during a typical week, while the after should be done together as they look for time to spend with one another. It will mean talking through what are their priorities with friends and work, and showing the other that they are a priority to each other. This is likely to create opportunities to address communication and personal conflict that arises from the homework, which will provide an opportunity in the following sessions to address their friendship, conflict resolution and communication skills. Finally, with Jeff especially, I would be encouraging decisiveness and leaning on Susan to make the decisions together as a couple. He will want to spend some time in personal study with Ephesians 5, Genesis 1-3, and 1 Timothy 3. These passages will lay a foundation for Biblical Manhood, which will in turn embolden Jeff to lovingly lead Susan in their relationship.

The more specific issues with Susan that need to be addresses in one-on-one sessions are grieving the loss of her past relationship and the “what if’s” that continue to haunt her thought life. First it is understandable and natural to grieve the loss of someone you care about, especially when entangled in pre-marital sexual relationship which only deepened her feelings and connections with the other man. We will need to untangle the complexity of her grief so she can discover what genuine pain is over the loss and what guilt is over the sinfulness of her sexual relationship. Susan needs an outlet to freely express the hurt and pain of losing someone she cared about, in celebrating his life, and to recognize that his life was meaningful. Second, she needs to recognize her need for repentance and to ask for forgiveness, so she can let go of any guilt that is holding her back from moving forward and giving herself to Jeff. Finally, Susan needs to put the “what if’s” into their proper perspective and not let them take hold in a fertile soil of discontent, but to see God’s sovereignty at work in her life leading her to the man she was to become one-flesh with, Jeff. Susan will want to spend time reflecting on Ephesians 5, Genesis 1-3 and Romans 8 to experience freedom in God’s work of creation, redemption and love. When she is ready, Susan, will be able to trust in God’s plan for her and thereby put her trust in Jeff to give herself over to him completely – in heart, mind, body and soul.

Psalm 23 - Take Comfort and Be Confident in the Lord

Assignment:
PSALM 23 PROJECT

• You will write a paper on Psalm 23.
• Your research will follow the steps laid out in chapter 5 of Interpreting the Psalms.
• Your paper will follow the model set out in chapter 6 of Interpreting the Psalms.

Discuss the “epiphany” theme in the Pastorals. What is it? Within this “epiphany-context” what is the meaning of “good works” and sensibility?

It is striking to think of Paul writing the Pastoral Epistles towards the end of his ministry when death was near, and he was encouraging Timothy and Titus in their ministries in a two-fold manor. First, the epiphany them is when Paul talks about the two appearances or manifestations of Jesus Christ in the world. The coming of Christ into the world through Mary, his earthly ministry, death and resurrection are all part of the first epiphany. That is the ushering in of Christ’s kingdom into the world through the inauguration of his earthly reign. It is related to the present age, where sin and suffering still occur but have been conquered by the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ. The kingdom has been inaugurated.

The second manifestation of Jesus Christ will be at the second coming when the inaugurated kingdom is consummated in the judgment and resurrection of all. That is the age to come where the New Jerusalem will be established and redemption will be fully realized. While the first coming of Christ has bought and paid for the sins of the world, there is a “not yet” component to the full realization of redemption accomplished and applied. The second epiphany will be the consummated kingdom that Paul now longs for as he stares at death’s door.

As such, it is important to realize while our good works do not earn our salvation they are a part of the fruit of our salvation in the present age. Our motivation for these good works rests in the future glory at the resurrection of the dead, and the present glory in declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Paul reminds Timothy (2 Tim 1:9-10) that Christ has destroyed death and brought life through his initial coming, but has brought immortal life through is second coming. However, Christ has brought us life to live in abundance by being faithful, obedient and living godly lives eager to do good works for the sake of Christ in the present age (Titus 2:11-14). The good works do not redeem us, for only Christ can do that, but it is because of our redemption that we, like Timothy, Titus and Paul are spurred on to joyously lead godly lives filled with good works that exemplify Christ to the world.

Ephesians

It would appear that most letters written in the Pauline corpus are at one time or another thought not to be authored by Paul. Ephesians is no exception and it is thought to have been authored post-Pauline. The peculiar thing is though that scholars generally believe that while written post-Paul, that the themes are in line with the teaching of Paul or come from a similar school of thought. This makes little sense when if they believe the teaching is the same as Paul, then it is more likely that Paul in fact wrote the letter than not.

It is thought that Ephesians is a circular letter, not intended for any one particular congregation but the churches in the area of Asia Minor. Ephesus was a major trading route in Asia Minor and therefore would be very influential over all the entire area.

As a circular letter, the occasion for Paul’s writing appears to be much more general than other letters dealing with specific controversies. This letter deals broadly with sin and what Christians have been called out to be in Christ, the general issues of unity in the church and the staple of Paul addressing specific demographics within the body as separate and as one.

First, all things in heaven and earth are united in Christ, but only (1:9-10), but only certain people were chosen to be united to Christ in our salvific hope (1:11-13). To be united in Christ, means that we commonly share in the promises given to the church and are marked by the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is the living Spirit that makes our unity as one body possible. We are to live in Christ, with him as our head, joined together in commonality of purpose and love (4:14-16).

This unity goes beyond anything we could imagine by not only bring the church together, but bring the church into the God-head itself. The church is reconciled by to God through the cross, by the blood of Christ paying for our sins and making us holy we are no longer prisoners to sin but have been set free and given peace in Christ. Through Christ, we are given access to the God-head (2:18), and invited into the throne room of peace.

Finally, Paul exhorts the Ephesians by reminding them of the grave consequences of being in Christ that they too will have to battle against the forces of the dark world (6:12). Being in Christ is not without its responsibility, but being in Christ means that you will be victorious in the battle. The picture of the armor of God shows visually what it is to put on Christ, and to be clothed in his grace. It is both a protection and a sign and seal of who you are to the world. There is no mistaken which side of the battle you are on when you are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and there is no greater guarantee of victory than by armor of God upon your breast.

Philemon

The recent scholarship on Philemon has struggled to determine the purpose of this letter, or at least the central reason we have it in the canon. It is seldom given attention, but there is thought to be a chiastic structure within the book. Depending upon your perspective on the reason for a chiasm, you would then either see v14 or v23-25 as the main point of the letter with v14 focusing on freedom in the gospel and v23-25 drawing out Paul’s imprisonment and yet freedom in Christ.

The audience of Philemon is Philemon himself and the house church he was a part of. The letter was to be read aloud to them all which would both teach Philemon directly, the house church as a whole and enable them to hold Philemon accountable.

Paul’s desire was to see Philemon and Onesiumus reconciled, and he used this occasion to encourage Philemon to deal graciously with his once slave, Onesiumus. This was an opportunity for restoration between two men, to be seen as an example to the entire church.
Paul, who is in chains himself and held captive against his will is urging Philemon to be reconciled to his once slave. There is a clear picture of freedom and bondage in verses 12-14, that though Paul is in chains he is bound to nothing but the gospel. He is free because he is in Christ Jesus, and in his bondage and freedom he would like Philemon to see that Onesiumus has also been set free by the gospel.

Paul publically asks Philemon to be reconciled to encourage his obedience to the Lord and to Paul. Because we have been changed by the gospel, and have been made a new creation in Christ we are free to be obedient to his will above our own. That is what Paul wants for Philemon.

Finally, just as our sin has been taken on by Christ and he has paid our penalty, Paul has taken on Onesiumus’ debt in v 18. Paul is asking Philemon to forgive as Christ has forgiven him, to see that the debt of offense and sin has been bought and paid for by the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We who are in Christ have been forgiven much and therefore are called to forgive much. Philemon is urged to remember the penalty of sin that Christ has taken from him, and the granting of freedom he has been given by being in Christ. As such, Onesiumus is his brother and fellow heir in the promise of salvation.

Philippians

Despite the relative small size of this letter, it is also thought that Philippians is a combination of several letters put together, rather than a single cohesive letter written to a particular church. There are questions that surround both the overall make-up of the letter and the individual parts. In particular, Chapter 2 is thought to contain Christological hymn that Paul reproduces here, and even within this hymn there is debate over how it portrays Christ being made nothing or being poured out that calls into question historical Trinitarian understandings.

The church at Philippi was one of Paul’s great joys in his ministry as they were a partner in his ministry (1:4-5). As such they were a humble and loving congregation who were very generous despite their meager means. This overjoyed Paul because of his love for them and them for him, and their obvious understanding of the gospel.

This is one of the prison epistles that Paul wrote while he could not come and be with his beloved. He wrote to Philippi, so they would know the joy they brought him and that despite his imprisonment that the gospel was still advancing on their behalf (1:12-13).

The most striking passage in Philippians is the Christological hymn in chapter 2. Paul wants his beloved to be like Christ as such he describes Jesus as the humbled and suffering servant, who was also exalted above every name. In verses 6-8, Paul explains who Christ is and what he has done in being brought lower than any servant, who took humanity upon himself and died upon the cross. Without this humiliation and death, there would be no salvation. But without the exaltation to come the death would be for nothing. In verses 9-11, we see that the humble servant is raised up as the exalted King, so that hope in life would come out of the death of sin.

In all this Paul wants the church to see that they are to be just like Jesus Christ, and more than that – that what Christ has done for them should be of first importance. It was the only thing that was important to Paul, as he shared in 3:8, that nothing else mattered. Paul, wants us to be like Christ, as his desire to be like Christ would lead to suffering like Christ.

Finally, when we are in Christ and have tasted his sufferings and know that he has saved us for resurrection life then we can be content in all things. We should, as 4:11-13 reveals, rest in Christ for what he has done for us and who he is at all times. The strength he gives us is to resist temptation, and to rest in him when we experience trials and difficulties. We have no promise of deliverance in this world, but in the next we know we are exalted with Christ as King we as his brethren.

2 Corinthians

The Corinthian series of letters continued with the second of the two remaining canonized as 2 Corinthians. Recent scholarship has noted discordance between chapters 1-9 and 10-13, as though they were separate parts of several letters mistakenly put together as one. However, with the length of the letter and the overall continuity of Paul exhorting the Corinthians, defending his apostolic ministry and coupling joy and suffering together it is more likely that Paul wrote to set-up his arguments of apostolic authority and concluded his letter with this purpose in mind. Additionally, Chapter 5 has received a great deal of attention as it relates to justification and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.

The audience of 2 Corinthians was the same as 1 Corinthians. The major port city of Corinth was a city filled with various types of people. As a port city it was a major hub of commerce and travel, and so they were filled with a diverse population who would have experiences from all over the known world. They were also a challenged population, known to stray and prone to immorality.

This letter comes within a known series of correspondences that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. While it is titled 2 Corinthians it is more likely the fourth or fifth letter in the series. Paul is writing to them once again to urge their faithfulness to Christ and to show them the error of their straying. He feels it necessary to legitimize his apostleship because there are those false apostles who are leading them astray. In stressing both the gospel and his apostolic ministry he focuses on reconciliation, suffering and the glory of Christ.

First, Paul teaches that union with Christ brings about a new creation in 5:17 which leads to the ministry of reconciliation in 5:18. Jesus Christ has united us to himself and in doing so reconciled those that were unclean to God and made them righteous. This is most clearly shown in 5:21 where Paul summarizes the gospel by showing the double imputation of both our sin onto Christ and his righteousness onto us, thus reconciling and saving the lost.

Second, the suffering that Christ experienced in his death and the resurrection life he was given also unites us to Christ. In 4:10, Paul teaches that those who are united to Christ in his death, will also be united to Christ in his life. Just before this he teaches about the difficulty that we would experience in this life 4:8-9, but couples this with the hope that we have in Christ.

Finally, we are promised to share in the glory of Christ as we look to our eschatological hope through the inward renewal of life. We are both humbled with Christ in his sufferings, and exalted with him in his glory. That, as 4:16 shows, outwardly during this present age we experience sufferings, so that inwardly we would taste God’s glory by being sanctified and renewed until the final and consummated day of glory to come.

Titus 2

Assignment:
The format of the paper follows that of a relatively new commentary series published by Baker Academic entitled Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament. Designed for students in religious and theological programs and yet accessible to laymen, the series reflects the kind of papers that will be done for this course. Quoting from the editors of Paideia one blogger notes:

Each commentary deals with the text in terms of larger rhetorical units; these are not verse-by-verse commentaries. This series thus stands within the stream of recent commentaries that attend to the final form of the text. Such reader centered literary approaches are inherently more accessible to liberal arts students without extensive linguistic and historical-critical preparation than older exegetical approaches, but within the reader-centered world the sanest practitioners have paid careful attention to the extratext of the original readers, including not only these readers’ knowledge of the geography, history, and other context elements reflected in the text but also to their ability to respond correctly to the literary and rhetorical conventions used in the text. Paideia commentaries pay deliberate attention to this extratextual repertoire in order to highlight the ways in which the text is designed to persuade and move its readers."

Consummated Kingdom: Kingship and Covenant in the Early Prophets

Assignment:
Write a thematic paper on the nature of kingship as reflected in the Biblical books covered in this course. This paper should be carefully anchored in the Biblical text, including specific citations of Biblical passages. Further, it must represent research of and interacting with secondary sources regarding the nature of kingship in Israel and in the Ancient Near East.

1 Corinthians brings to focus key aspects of Paul’s theology. List five and explain.

Paul’s theology is not a mystery, nor is it hard to find. He implicitly and explicitly reveals it through his letters and his teaching. There are five areas of Paul’s theology that are revealed in 1 Corinthians, his epistemology, cross-centered life, doctrines of the church, hermeneutics and the resurrection.

Paul wishes to know nothing but that which is Jesus Christ and him crucified (2:2). Paul’s source of knowledge or wisdom is not based on the worldly wisdom or the convention of the present evil age. Knowledge is based on nothing more than the Spirit of God (2:10), who has revealed the truth of God to the spiritual man (2:15).

Secondly, Paul taught that the Christian life was a life centered on Jesus Christ and his cross. It is this reason that he sent Timothy to Corinth (4:17), so that they could imitate Timothy who learned from Paul, who learned from Christ what it was to live as a Christian. Paul wants us all to keep our lives fixed on Jesus and that by doing so we will receive praise from God (4:5) and be judged on the merits of Christ and not our own (4:4).

Third, Paul underscores several doctrines of the church including the sacraments but the most clear picture of what the church is and how it should operate comes when he tells the church that they are the body of Christ (12:27). From there Paul outlines the offices of the church, but of most importance is the interconnectedness that is created by the community of Christ to one another and to Christ himself.

Fourth, Paul explains what the gospel is that he preaches. The gospel hermeneutics is explicitly defined, and Paul explains its extreme importance. It is this gospel that will save their lives. This gospel is how the Scriptures are to be read, interpreted and preached that Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised (15:3-4).

Finally, Paul teaches about the doctrine of the resurrection, not only Christ’s resurrection but the resurrection of the body for all those who are in Christ. The center of Paul’s theology here though rests in the covenantal headship of both Adam and Jesus Christ. Death and sin came through the federal headship of Adam (15:21) and Resurrection and glory come through Jesus Christ (15:22).

What is the goal of exegesis? Outline a basic “process of exegesis.” Outline and exegete Ephesians 2,1-10.

The goal of exegesis is to bring about the deep understanding of a passage. The task of the exegete then is to study the word of God faithfully, truthfully and historically accurate. We cannot hope to teach, explain, understand or apply Scripture to our lives or anyone else’s if we take this task lightly.

Briefly, the basic process of exegesis is first to orient oneself to the passage studying the historical context of the writer, audience and setting of the passage. Once we have an understanding of the historical context of the world surrounding the passage, then we can take a closer look at the big picture of the passage. This would mean understanding how the specific passage fits into the bigger picture of the book, and corpus of Scripture. Now that we have developed a basic meaning of the passage, it is time to employ the resources of commentaries, secondary sources and prayer to fine tune our understanding for teaching and preaching. Prayer is essential throughout the exegetical process because as this is God’s living word, it will only be by his living spirit that we can hope to gain understanding.

Ephesians 2: 1-10 breaks out into a fairly basic outline. Verses 1-3 are about Paul identifying his audience and himself as objects of God’s wrath, in their sin and disobedience. They sought to fulfill the desires of their human flesh over and above anything else. However, verses 4-9 are the turning point for the Ephesians and Paul, as he reveals the love of God and the grace of Jesus has changed these objects of wrath into kings and queens of the promise, seated with him in heaven. Objects of wrath have become objects of grace, love and honor. Finally, verse 10 completes the passage by now looking forward as to what the Ephesians and Paul were saved for. They have looked at who they were, who they are, and now they are understand their purpose. God saved them, so they could glorify him and bless others in the world as his workmanship. They were saved to do the good works that God had prepared for them and accomplished in and through them, in Christ Jesus.

“Paul’s ministry was characterized by immense and continual suffering.” Explain. Why was he willing to endure such suffering?

Paul’s ministry was characterized by immense suffering because he was never concerned about his own safety or well being, but had a singular purpose to proclaim the gospel to everyone he came in contact with. He did not back down from controversy and always stood for truth and Jesus Christ. The gospel was the singular most important thing to Paul, and he knew it was the singular most important thing for people to hear from him. 1 Thessalonians 2:2 reveals that even in the face of opposition, the Paul stood for Christ and was going to proclaim the gospel truth everyone.

A life lived for the well being of others, and for Christ means that your life will bear the mark of the man of sorrows himself. When you entering into Christ, you enter into his suffering and humiliation on the cross. You die to self, but gain so much more in Christ. Paul exemplified this truth in his own life, and when he and Barnabas preached the good news in Lystra and was stoned for it (Acts 14:19). One of the most telling examples though was when Paul healed the slave girl in Acts 16, was beaten and thrown in prison. He brought about grace and freedom and paid the penalty in his own body. More than though, Paul and Silas responded by worshipping God in jail, which lead to the salvation of the jailer. Like Christ, Paul was willing to give up his life for the salvation of others.

The summary passage for Paul is 2 Corinthians 11:23-33. Here Paul recounts all that he has been through for the sake of the gospel, all the pain, suffering, anguish and difficulty. He did it because he is a servant of Christ, and in his weakness is where the Sprit of Christ shown through his life so clearly. In Paul’s suffering, the light of the gospel was clear to those that met him. Likewise, the call to the Christian is a gospel ministry of suffering for the sake of others so that in our weaknesses Christ would be evident and the gospel proclaimed by all who meet us.

Summarize N. T. Wright’s position on justification in Justification

Wright’s primary concern with justification is that it reflects what he believes second temple Judaism believed, which he sees in continuity with the Old Testament. Therefore, Write interprets justification in terms of God’s covenant faithfulness to Abraham and Abraham’s righteousness coming from his membership in the covenant. Justification then becomes another way of defining covenant membership which emphasizes ecclesiology over soteriology.

Wright’s reading of Paul then becomes focused on defining the covenant, membership within it and righteousness established by that membership. Justification is not the focus of salvation however, especially since Wright sees this as being only one way to talk about salvation and not THE way. The basis for his exegesis is found in the way he defines righteousness and covenant in terms he believes to be synchronistic with Paul, the Old Testament and second temple Judaism. Unfortunately, what he ends up with is a works based righteousness, even stating that final judgment is according to our works.

Galatians 5 gives us another picture though of Paul that Wright does not seem to share. Here Paul talks about the freedom Christians have from the law, and especially circumcision as defining salvation or justification as the gospel of Jesus Christ plus works. Paul says however that it is only in Jesus Christ that we have any hope and that the works of the law do not count for anything when we are in Christ. Ultimately, our hope, our justification is found in “faith expressing itself through love” or the love of Jesus Christ making us righteous through his Spirit that gives us faith. In faith, we eagerly wait for the completed work of our salvation in Christ alone.

Galatians 2

Assignment:
The format of the paper follows that of a relatively new commentary series published by Baker Academic entitled Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament. Designed for students in religious and theological programs and yet accessible to laymen, the series reflects the kind of papers that will be done for this course. Quoting from the editors of Paideia one blogger notes:

Each commentary deals with the text in terms of larger rhetorical units; these are not verse-by-verse commentaries. This series thus stands within the stream of recent commentaries that attend to the final form of the text. Such reader centered literary approaches are inherently more accessible to liberal arts students without extensive linguistic and historical-critical preparation than older exegetical approaches, but within the reader-centered world the sanest practitioners have paid careful attention to the extratext of the original readers, including not only these readers’ knowledge of the geography, history, and other context elements reflected in the text but also to their ability to respond correctly to the literary and rhetorical conventions used in the text. Paideia commentaries pay deliberate attention to this extratextual repertoire in order to highlight the ways in which the text is designed to persuade and move its readers."

Critical Review - A Biblical History of Israel

Assignment:
Students will write a critical review of the historiographical methodology proposed in A Biblical History of Israel pages 1-104.