Categories
apologetics hermeneutics

Shadows and Not Typology in Colossians 2:17

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Col 2:16-17 // NASB95)

I’ve seen this passage used quite a number of times to support several conclusions: (1) that the ceremonial portion of the Law were a type that pointed to Christ (the anti-type) and therefore should not be followed anymore—whereas the moral portions should be followed; (2) that the Torah was integral to pointing to Christ so that a person currently has the freedom to keep it (yes, including the ceremonial portions) as long as they do so in respect to Christ; and (3), that all those things that belonged to Israel (law, tabernacle, priesthood) were shadows that now belong to the body of Christ, the Church, to be used by her as she sees fit. Obviously some disagreement on to what should be done with the shadows in Colossians 2—but they are in agreement that the shadows are the things from the past. I deny all three positions.

Categories
romans

Rejoice In Tribulations (Rom 5:3)

Should Romans 5:3 καυχώμεθα εν ταίς θλίψεσιν (rejoice/exult/boast in tribulations) be limited in scope to only specific type of tribulations—as in the afflictions that come about from sufferings caused directly by the believer’s profession of Christ as Lord? Some students in the class removed tribulations that come about from sinning because of καυχώμεθα addressing the tribulations; they similarly removed tribulations that come about from natural afflictions because no one should rejoice in having their legs cut off.

I don’t think this exegetical decision is viable.

Categories
romans study

Romans Series

This post is home to my study in Romans.

Categories
israel salvation study

Potter and the Clay (Part 1) Romans 9

An overview of various Potter texts throughout the Old Testament to see the sources Paul was looking at and either directly alluding to, combining, or using in a completely new way.

Categories
apologetics israel salvation study the father

No Mercy For the Non-Elect? Romans 9

Romans 9:1-18 is (by common consent) a rough spot. Some go in with theological girding in place and a skewed reading is bound to occur while others go in thinking they have to walk away convinced with Something because of the foreboding rumblings in the Christian atmosphere way above them. People might look at my (rather Paul’s) Pharaoh versus Israel model and think that Israel was eternally saved and Pharaoh eternally damned from the get-go. I beg to differ.