Well, I received my copy of Accordance in the mail the other day, and I have been playing around with it quite a bit. One of the things I’ve learned to do, that will certainly help me in my reading of the Greek New Testament, is the ability to produce a given vocabulary list for a particular segment (up to 200 verses at a time). As I go through my class on 2 Corinthians, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to use it. Here’s how to do it using words that occur 30 times or less:
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The title is somewhat facetious, but also true. The obvious liturgies are found in what are considered “high” churches, such as the Anglican church, as well as Presbyterian, Lutheran, and so forth. Of course, the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox churches also use liturgies. While these are obvious, it is not so obvious, nor usually formal, in the “low” churches- but they usually have some form of liturgy. Almost every church follows some set structure. On my old blog, I linked to a satirical “Charismatic liturgy,” that, while humorous, also had a grain of truth (I used to attend a pentecostal church).
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I was recently encouraged by this post on the Founders Ministry blog. In this post, Tom Ascoll publishes with permission an open letter of repentance from Scott Morgan to Johnny Hunt. I hope that this will produce fruit in regards to a greater sense of the need to repent to others we have wronged. Of course, I don’t think we should all publically air our issues, but certainly we need to “leave the altar” and “go be reconciled” (cf. Matthew 5:24) privately to those we have wronged. Though, I don’t think the majority of this needs to go public (in this case, Scott’s sins were public), I am thankful for Scott’s openness, and Tom’s use of his blog as a medium to be an example.

I just posted a translation of 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 in the translation section (which will be followed-up with verses 12-18 soon). In this section, Paul makes some contrasts between the Mosaic Covenant, and the New Covenant. Here is a list showing the contrasts:
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Ed Stetzer points us to his latest article for Outreach Magazine entitled “Learning from Each Other.” In his article, Stetzer articulates the well-known dichotomy we’ve set up between the “theologically preoccupied” and the “evangelistically fixated” (his terms, naming groups who do one to the exclusion of the other). I’m about to ruin the ending for you, but go check it out for the rest as well:

“It is unfortunately easy to see that some of us are better at knowing doctrine than sowing doctrine. Let me be blunt, amassing a knowledge of God and shelving it instead of sharing it is sin. We are made to distributors of his glory.

On the other side, the same passage of scripture challenges the evangelistically fixated. Eagerness to tell others about God is undermined if our theology is weak. Let me say it this way, you cannot proclaim God’s excellencies if you do not know what they are.

I have been saying it for years, and I don’t mind saying it again; we need to be both biblically faithful in doctrine and practice, and missiologically sound in our approach to people and cultures.
-Ed Stetzer”

Here is the vocabulary list for my next quiz. If anyone is interested, I will post a quiz of my own here on these very words. There are 29 words, and I will select 20. If there is interest, here is how it will work. I’ll list the words and their definition here. Next tuesdayish, I will post 20 words, and those who want to participate can leave their answers in a comment. I will leave the comments unpublished so that everyone has a fair chance. Then, the following day, I will post your comments with the number correct. This will be on the honor system, so don’t recall this page when you’re taking it That will be between you and God if you decide to do this, though I will take this page “down” while the quiz is up. You only need to put one english translation, and no transliteration (the following transliterations are approximate, and not technical anyways) How’s that sound? Now for the list:
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Nope, its not on 1 John, which I was working on after Philemon. That translation is on hold until after the semester is over. Instead, it is a section of scripture from 2 Corinthians, more specifically it is 2 Corinthians 1:15-24. This semester I am taking a class on Paul’s second (extant) letter to the church at Corinth, and I will be posting my translations here. Because we are only doing sections of the letter each week, it won’t be a complete translation (yet), but it will be a large bulk of the letter.

In this particular section, Paul is defending his change of plans of delaying a visit to Corinth.

Figured I’d give you all some free education Here are my vocab words from this week that I will be quizzed on next tuesday (note: I am only putting one english word, though some have several):
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I was reading in my text for my introduction to Old Testament I class tonight, and I ran across this great quote:

“Since the covenant is the instrument used by God to effect self-revelation, the Old Testament often appears to be a history of the covenant, or of aspects of it, more than a history of Israel. So Genesis 15-20 is a history of the establishment of the Abrahamic covenant. Exodus-Deuteronomy is a history of the establishment of the Mosaic covenant at Sinai. Joshua is a record of God’s faithfulness to the covenant, while Judges is a record of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the covenant. The books of Samuel and Kings are a history of the covenant of kingship (the Davidic covenant). It is the covenant as God’s plan that is more in focus than the people who are involved generation after generation.”

To this I would add that the prophetic writings (the nevi’im) can be seen as a call back to covenant faithfulness, as well as pointing to the covenant which was to come in Jesus Christ. This perspective of the OT leads me to wonder- what do the wisdom books show us on covenantal history?

I apologize for the lack of posting recently, there has certainly been a lot going on! First, Samantha has moved into town to start going to school here at Southern. It has been really good being able to spend time with her after 15 months of a long distance relationship. Second, school has started up and I’m taking 12 hours, including two language classes. This semester I’ll be taking elementary Hebrew as well as Greek Exegesis of II Corinthians. Third, things have really stepped up in the last few weeks with Sojourn, having two of our busiest sundays connect team wise all in the same month. 

All this to say that I haven’t forgotten about my blog. I’m just waiting for things to settle down a bit before I try and collect enough thoughts to post.

Also, I’m thinking of getting Accordance Bible software- if anyone uses it, please feel free to leave a comment about your experience with it.

Finally, TC, I received the book today. Thank you!