Asking is just the beginning by Gary Rose

Interesting verse, filled with great meaning. It stands alone as an exhortation to petition God for what we really want or need and a charge to keep asking!

But, there is more here, as the context shows...

Matthew, Chapter 7 (WEB)

  ⁷  “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.  (emphasis added vs.7) ⁸  For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.   ⁹  Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?   ¹⁰  Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?   ¹¹  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!   ¹²  Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets. (emphasis added vs.12)

The widest context of this passage (commonly called the "sermon on the mount") could be labeled "to be a genuine disciple of God". The narrower context (these few verses) emphasizes God's graciousness in granting the needs of those that reach out to HIM and our imitation of HIS practices. Be like God; he wants you ask, see and knock. He wants the very best for us all, HIS motives are always in our best interest because HE loves US!!!

Even though the graphic displays the verse as being in the sky, it is not a "pie in the sky" concept, but rather a "down to earth" one. Be close to God and HE will be close to you! Believe it, because its right!!!

Bible Reading October 10 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading October 10

(World English Bible)

Oct. 10

Proverbs 1-4

Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

Pro 1:2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

Pro 1:3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

Pro 1:4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

Pro 1:5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

Pro 1:6 to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

Pro 1:7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 1:8 My son, listen to your father's instruction, and don't forsake your mother's teaching:

Pro 1:9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

Pro 1:11 If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

Pro 1:12 let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

Pro 1:13 We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil.

Pro 1:14 You shall cast your lot among us. We'll all have one purse."

Pro 1:15 My son, don't walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

Pro 1:16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

Pro 1:17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

Pro 1:18 but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

Pro 1:19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

Pro 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

Pro 1:21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

Pro 1:22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

Pro 1:23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

Pro 1:25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

Pro 1:27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.

Pro 1:28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

Pro 1:29 because they hated knowledge, and didn't choose the fear of Yahweh.

Pro 1:30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

Pro 1:31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

Pro 1:32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

Pro 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm."

Pro 2:1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;

Pro 2:2 So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

Pro 2:3 Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;

Pro 2:4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:

Pro 2:5 then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.

Pro 2:6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Pro 2:7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;

Pro 2:8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.

Pro 2:9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.

Pro 2:10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Pro 2:11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,

Pro 2:12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things;

Pro 2:13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

Pro 2:14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;

Pro 2:15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths:

Pro 2:16 To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

Pro 2:17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God:

Pro 2:18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the dead.

Pro 2:19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:

Pro 2:20 that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

Pro 2:21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.

Pro 2:22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Pro 3:1 My son, don't forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

Pro 3:2 for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

Pro 3:3 Don't let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Pro 3:4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Pro 3:5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Pro 3:7 Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

Pro 3:8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

Pro 3:9 Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

Pro 3:10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Pro 3:11 My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

Pro 3:12 for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

Pro 3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

Pro 3:14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

Pro 3:19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

Pro 3:20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

Pro 3:21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

Pro 3:22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

Pro 3:23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won't stumble.

Pro 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

Pro 3:25 Don't be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

Pro 3:26 for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

Pro 3:27 Don't withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Pro 3:28 Don't say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you.

Pro 3:29 Don't devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

Pro 3:30 Don't strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

Pro 3:31 Don't envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

Pro 3:32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.

Pro 3:33 Yahweh's curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

Pro 3:34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

Pro 3:35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.

Pro 4:1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

Pro 4:2 for I give you sound learning. Don't forsake my law.

Pro 4:3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

Pro 4:4 He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

Pro 4:5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don't forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

Pro 4:6 Don't forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

Pro 4:8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

Pro 4:9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."

Pro 4:10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

Pro 4:11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

Pro 4:12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

Pro 4:13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don't let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Pro 4:14 Don't enter into the path of the wicked. Don't walk in the way of evil men.

Pro 4:15 Avoid it, and don't pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

Pro 4:16 For they don't sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Pro 4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don't know what they stumble over.

Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.

Pro 4:22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

Pro 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

Pro 4:24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

Pro 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

Pro 4:26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

Pro 4:27 Don't turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

Oct. 10

Ephesians 1

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Eph 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;

Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love;

Eph 1:5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved,

Eph 1:7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Eph 1:8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

Eph 1:9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

Eph 1:10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;

Eph 1:11 in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;

Eph 1:12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:

Eph 1:13 in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation,--in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Eph 1:15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints,

Eph 1:16 don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;

Eph 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Eph 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

Eph 1:20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

Eph 1:22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

Eph 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Menace of Radical Preterism by Wayne Jackson

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Jackson/Boyd/Wayne/1937/preterism.html

The Menace of Radical Preterism

The word “eschatology” derives from the Greek word, eschatos, meaning “last.” It has to do with the biblical doctrine of “last” or “end-of-time” things. The term embraces such matters as the return of Christ, the end of the world, the day of judgment, and the resurrection of the dead.

One philosophy of eschatology is known as “preterism.” The term “preter” issues from an original form meaning “past.” Preterism, therefore, is an interpretive ideology which views major portions of Bible prophecy, traditionally associated with the termination of earth’s history, as having been fulfilled already.

But the term “preterism” is flexible. Some scholars, for instance, have dated the book of Revelation in the late sixties A.D. They contend that virtually the whole of the Apocalypse, therefore, was fulfilled by A.D. 70 - when Judaism was destroyed by the invading Roman armies. A more moderate form of preterism moves the fulfillment of Revelation forward somewhat. These scholars hold that while Revelation was penned near the end of the first century, the major focus of the book is upon the fall of the Roman Empire (A.D. 476); consequently they feel there is little beyond that date that is previewed in the final book of the New Testament.

While we do not agree with either of these concepts of the book of Revelation, we consider them to be relatively harmless.

On the other hand, there is a form of preterism that is quite heretical. This theory argues that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled; nothing remains on the prophetic calendar.

This radical preterism was championed by James Stuart Russell (1816-95), a Congregational clergyman in England. Russell authored a book titled, The Parousia, (from a Greek word meaning “coming” or “presence”), which first appeared in 1878. Russell set forth the idea that the second coming of Christ, the judgment day, etc., are not future events at the end of the current dispensation. Rather, prophecies relating to these matters were fulfilled with Jerusalem’s fall in A.D. 70. There is, therefore, no future “second coming” of Christ. Moreover, there will be no resurrection of the human body. Also, the final judgment and the end of the world have occurred already - with the destruction of Jerusalem.

Advocates of this bizarre dogma claim that the preterist movement is growing wildly. It probably is expanding some - though likely not as prolificly as its apologists would like everyone to believe. Occasionally the sect will get a thrust when a prominent name becomes identified with it. For example, noted theologian R. C. Sproul has apparently thrown his hat into the preterist ring - at least to some degree. Recently he characterized J. S. Russell’s book as “one of the most important treatments on Biblical eschatology that is available to the church today” (quoted in The Christian News 1999, 17).

Radical preterism (also known as “realized eschatology” or the “A.D. 70 doctrine”) is so “off the wall” - biblically speaking - that one wonders how anyone ever falls for it. But they do. And, as exasperating as it is, the doctrine needs to be addressed from time to time. One writer, in reviewing the A.D. 70 heresy, recently quipped that dealing with preterism is like cleaning the kitty litter box; one hates to fool with it, but it has to be done. He can just be thankful that cats aren’t larger than they are.

The Basis for the Dogma

Preterists strive for consistency in their view of Bible prophecy. The goal is admirable. But when a series of propositions is linked, and they are grounded on the same faulty foundation, when one of them topples - like dominos in a line - they all fall. So it is with the A.D. 70 theory.

Here is the problem. In studying the New Testament material relative to the “coming” of Christ, preterists note that:

1. there are passages which seem to speak of the nearness of the Lord’s coming - from a first-century vantage point (cf. James 5:8);
2. they observe that there are texts which indicate a “coming” in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (cf. Matthew 24:30);
3. combining these, they conclude that the Savior’s “second coming” must have transpired in A.D. 70; and
4. furthermore, since the Scriptures are clear as to the fact that the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, and the end of the world will all occur on the day the Lord returns, the advocates of realized eschatology are forced to “spiritualize” these several happenings, contending that all will take place at the same time. In this “interpretive” process, a whole host of biblical terms must be redefined in order to make them fit the scheme.

And so, while preterists attempt to be consistent, it is nonetheless a sad reality that they are consistently wrong!

Prophetic Imminence

A major fallacy of the preterist mentality is a failure to recognize the elasticity of chronological jargon within the context of biblical prophecy. It is a rather common trait in prophetic language that an event, while literally in the remote future, may be described as near. The purpose in this sort of language is to emphasize the certainty of the prophecy’s fulfillment.

Obadiah, for instance, foretold the final day of earth’s history. Concerning that event, he said: “For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations” (v. 15). This cannot refer to some local judgment, for “all nations” are to be involved. And yet, the event is depicted as “near.”

There are numerous prophecies of this nature, including passages like James 5:8 - “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James could not have been predicting the literally imminent return of the Savior, for such knowledge was not made available to the Lord’s penmen. Not even Jesus himself knew of the time of his return to earth (Matthew 24:36).

The Components Explained and Briefly Refuted

Let us give brief consideration to the four eschatological events that are supposed to have occurred in A.D. 70 - the Lord’s second coming, the resurrection of the dead, the day of judgment, and the end of the world.

First, was there a sense in which Christ “came” to folks at various times and places? Yes, and no serious student of the Bible denies this. Jesus “came” on the day of Pentecost via the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (see John 14:18). The coming was representative, not literal. The Lord warned the brethren in Ephesus that if they did not repent, he would “come” to them in judgment, and they would forfeit their identity as a faithful congregation (Revelation 2:5). In describing the horrible judgment to be inflicted upon rebellious Jerusalem, Jesus, employing imagery from the Old Testament, spoke of his “coming” in power and glory (Matthew 24:30). Again, this was a representative “coming” by means of the Roman forces (cf. Matthew 22:7). Verse thirty-four of Matthew 24 clearly indicates that this event was to occur before that first-century generation passed away.

The Lord’s “second coming,” however, will be as visibly apparent as his ascension back into heaven was (Acts 1:11). Indeed, he will be “revealed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7), or “appear” to all (2 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 9:28).

It is a mistake of horrible proportions to confuse the symbolic “comings” of Christ with the “second” (cf. Hebrews 9:28) coming. And this is what the preterists do.

Secondly, it is utterly incredible that the preterists should deny the eventual resurrection of the human body - just as the Sadducees did twenty centuries ago (Acts 23:8). The entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians was written to counter this error: “How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead [ones – plural]?” (15:12).

But those who subscribe to the notion of realized eschatology spiritualize the concept of the resurrection, alleging that such references are merely to the emergence of the church from an era of anti-Christian persecution. In other words, it is the “resurrection” of a cause, not a resurrection of people.

The theory is flawed in several particulars, but consider these two points:

1. The Scriptures speak of the “resurrection” as involving both the good and the evil, the just and the unjust (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15). Where, in the preterist scheme of things, is the resurrection of the “evil”? Was the “cause” of evil to emerge at the same time as the “cause” of truth?
2. As noted above, the resurrection contemplated in 1 Corinthians 15 has to do with the raising of “dead ones” (masculine, plural) - not an abstract “cause” (neuter, singular). Significantly, the bodily resurrection of Jesus is cited as a precursor to the general resurrection - in this very context (15:20,23). Christ charged that those who deny the resurrection of the body are ignorant of both the Scriptures and the power of God (Matthew 22:29).

Third, the Bible speaks of a coming “day of judgment” (Matthew 11:22). Preterists limit this to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. But the theory simply does not fit the facts. The devastation of A.D. 70 involved only the Jews. The final day of judgment will embrace the entire human family - past, present, and future (Acts 17:31). The citizens of ancient Nineveh will be present on the day of judgment (see Matthew 12:41), as will other pagan peoples. But these folks were not in Jerusalem in A.D. 70. How can clear passages of this nature be ignored?

Here is an interesting thought. When Paul defended his case before the Roman governor, Felix, he spoke of “the judgment to come,” and the ruler was “terrified” (Acts 24:25). Why would a Roman be “terrified” with reference to the impending destruction of Judaism - when he would be on the winning side, not the losing one?

Fourth, according to the preterists, the “end of the world,” as this expression is employed in Bible prophecy, does not allude to the destruction of this planet. Rather, “world” has reference to the Jewish world, thus, the end of the Jewish age. This, they allege, occurred in A.D. 70.

But this view simply is not viable. Consider these two brief but potent points.

1. The responsibilities of the Great Commission - to teach and immerse lost souls - was commensurate with that era preceding the “end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). If the “end of the world” occurred in A.D. 70, then the Lord’s Commission is valid no longer. This conclusion, of course, is absurd.
2. In the parable of the tares, Jesus taught that at “the end of the world” the “tares” (i.e., evil ones) would be removed from his kingdom and burned (Matthew 13:39-40). Did that transpire with the destruction of Judaism? It did not. The notion that the “end of the world” is past already is false.

The dogma of preterism - or realized eschatology - is erroneous from beginning to end. For a more detailed consideration of this matter, see our book, The A.D. 70 Theory.

A Common Method of Propagation

The doctrine of preterism is so radically unorthodox that its advocates realize that their efforts to win converts represent a formidable task. Consequently, they have developed a covert strategy that seeks to quietly spread their novel dogma until such a time when congregational take-overs can be effected. The distinctive traits of this discipling methodology are as follows.

• It is alleged that this system represents an attractive, consistent method of interpretation. But there is no virtue in consistency, if one is consistently wrong!
• Preterists criticize what they call “traditional” views of interpreting Bible prophecy. They suggest they have a new, exciting approach to the Scriptures - with a spiritual thrust. Of course the “new” is always intriguing to some.
• The messengers of realized eschatology frequently are secretive in their approach. They select only the most promising candidates with whom to share their ideas. Eventually, then, the A.D. 70 theory will be woven subtly into classes, sermons, etc.
• When ultimately confronted relative to their teachings and methods, they will argue that eschatological issues are merely a matter of opinion, and that divergent views - especially theirs - should be tolerated. This, of course, ignores plain biblical implications on these themes (cf. 2 Timothy 2:16-18; 2 Peter 3:16). If church leaders fall for this ploy, more time is gained for the indoctrination of the entire congregation.

Conclusion

Wise church leaders will inform themselves relative to the theory of preteristic eschatology. If such ideas are discovered to be circulating within a local church, the proponents of such doctrines should be dealt with quickly and firmly. It is a serious matter.

Wayne Jackson

Sources/Footnotes

• Jackson, Wayne. 2005. The A.D. 70 Theory. Stockton, CA: Christian Courier Publications.
• Sproul, R. C. 1999. The Christian News, June 7.

Copyright © 2013 Christian Courier. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Jonah and the "Whale"? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=69&b=Jonah

Jonah and the "Whale"?

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Skeptics frequently have railed against the allusion to a “whale” in Matthew 12:40 in the King James Version. They have insisted that the very idea that a person actually could be swallowed by such a creature and survive is preposterous. Yet this charge has been shown to be impotent for two reasons: (1) historical precedent exists for the possibility of just such an occurrence; and (2) the text of Jonah insists that the sea creature in question was orchestrated supernaturally by God for the purpose intended (see Thompson, 1996, 16:86). God specifically “prepared” (mahnah—appointed, constituted, made ready) a great fish (Gesenius, 1847, p. 486). The same term is employed in the same book to refer to additional direct manipulations initiated by God. He also prepared a plant (4:6), a worm (4:7), and a vehement wind (4:8) [see Wigram, 1890, p. 733]. George Cansdale was correct in concluding: “[T]here is no point in speculating about the full physical explanation of an incident that primarily is metaphysical, i.e., miraculous” (1975, 5:925, emp. added). McClintock and Strong agree: “[T]he transaction is plainly miraculous, and no longer within the sphere of zoological discussion” (1881, 10:972). Jonah’s survival after being inside a sea creature is no more remarkable than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego surviving the “burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:27).

In addition to the evidence that may be deduced for (1) the credibility of a whale swallowing Jonah and (2) the miraculous preparation of the creature by God, a third clarification is in order that pertains to translation. The actual text of the book of Jonah states that “the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah” (Jonah 1:17). The Hebrew term (dahg) that underlies the English translation “fish” (1:17; 2:1,10) is a broad term that “always has the collective meaning ‘fish’ ” (Botterweck, 1978, 3:135). William Gesenius, whose lexicographical labors in the Hebrew language were without peer, defined dahg merely as “fish” (p. 189). Eminent Hebrew scholar, C.F. Keil, insisted strongly that “[t]he great fish, which is not more precisely defined, was not a whale” (Keil and Delitzsch, 1977, 10:398, emp. added). We conclude, therefore, that the word used in the book of Jonah to refer to the sea creature that swallowed Jonah, refers indiscriminately to any type of fish—without regard for the technical taxonomic, classification schemes developed by the scientific community in the last few centuries. It has the same generic latitude that inheres in the English word “fish” has, which can refer to any number of cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates—from a trout, bass, or crappie to sharks, rays, jellyfish, and crayfish (American Heritage Dictionary, 2000, p. 665).

However, a point of clarification needs to be sounded even here. According to the present zoological nomenclature, a “whale” is not a “fish”—it is classified as a mammal. Hebrew linguistic experts note no such distinction in the terms used in the Old Testament. The ordinary term for “fish” (dahg) would not necessarily exclude the whale in its application.

The Hebrew uses three additional terms that are germane to this discussion. Two of the words are closely interrelated: tan-neem and tan-neen. The first term generally is translated (though erroneously) as “dragon” in the KJV. Newer translations typically use “jackal,” except in Ezekiel 29:3 and 32:2, where the creature’s habitat is obviously aquatic, so “monster” generally is employed (Day, 1939, 2:873). The second term is treated more loosely in the KJV, and variously translated as “whales” (Genesis 1:21; Job 7:12), “serpent,” archaic for “snake” (Exodus 7:9,10), “dragon” (Jeremiah 51:34), and “sea monsters” (Lamentations 4:3). The third relevant term is “leviathan”—a transliteration of the Hebrew term liv-yah-thahn(Job 41:1; 104:26; Isaiah 27:1). This “very large aquatic creature” (Gesenius, p. 433) was unquestionably a now-extinct, dinosaur-like reptile that once inhabited the oceans (Lyons, 2001). Whereas the term “leviathan” undoubtedly refers to a specific type of animal, the previous two terms (tan-neem and tan-neen) are generic and nonspecific like dahg. [Interestingly, Isaiah 27:1 refers to leviathan as both a “snake” (nah-ghahsh) and a “monster,” or “reptile” (NKJV) (tah-neen)].

What is particularly noteworthy is the fact that on the fifth day of Creation, God created sea life. He used two terms to specify these inhabitants of the “waters.” The first was “souls” (Genesis 1:20,21b)—the ordinary term for living “things,” or “creatures” (nephesh). The second was “sea-monsters” (Genesis 1:21a)—the plural of tan-neen (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 1967/77, p. 2). This latter term is important for understanding the generic nature of the Hebrew language in its reference to the animal occupants of the sea. The word is translated erroneously as “whales” in the KJV. The NKJVhas “sea creatures,” the ASV, NASB, RSV, and NEB have “sea monsters,” while the NIV has “creatures of the sea.” These latter three renderings are accurate representations of the Hebrew. They illustrate the in-built ambiguity that characterizes the Hebrew designations of animal species in the Old Testament. [NOTE: The term translated “birds” (Genesis 1:20,21, 22,26,28,30) doubtless possesses the same latitude and indiscriminate flexibility in meaning, thereby designating any creature that has the capability of flight, including mammals (e.g., bats), insects, and reptiles (e.g., pterodactyl).]

Moving to New Testament Greek, and the verse under discussion in this article (Matthew 12:40), did Christ refer to the great fish of Jonah as a “whale”? Matthew records that Jesus employed the Greek term ketos to refer to Jonah’s sea creature. The Septuagint translators used the same term in their rendering of Jonah 1:17. Greek lexicographers are decisive on the meaning of this word. The highly respected Greek scholars Arndt and Gingrich offer only one definition for ketos—“sea-monster” (1957, p. 432). The dictionary that was designed for use with the United Bible Societies’ prestigious Greek New Testament text (A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament) defined ketos as “large sea creature” (Newman, 1971, p. 100). Thayer listed three terms—“sea-monster, whale, huge fish” (1901, p. 346), with the reference to “whale” being merely one possibility among many others within the broader sense of the term. Renowned Bible commentator Albert Barnes insisted: “It is well known that the Greek word translated as whale, in the New Testament, does not of necessity mean a whale, but may denote a large fish or sea-monster of any kind” (1949, 1:134, italics in orig.). He speculated that the creature was a species of shark. McClintock and Strong elaborated further by noting that the term “is not restricted in its meaning to ‘a whale,’ or any cetacean; ...it may denote any sea-monster, either ‘a whale,’ or ‘a shark,’ or a ‘seal,’ or ‘a tunny of enormous size’ ” (10:973). Respected Bible scholar J.W. McGarvey wrote: “The Greek word here translated whale is ‘sea monster’ ” (n.d., p. 306). Lenski also preferred the rendering “sea monster,” stating that “[t]he ‘whale’ of our versions is only an effort at translation” (1961, 1:493, emp. added).

The versionary evidence is surely confusing to the average English reader of the New Testament. The KJV, ASV, and RSV all render ketos in Matthew 12:40 as “whale.” Their rationale behind this unjustifiable linguistic decision, which Lewis maintains has created “an unnecessary problem” (1976, 2:178-179), remains a mystery. Ironically, all three versions translate Jonah 1:17 as “fish.” On the other hand, the NASB, NEB, and REB all have “sea monster” in Matthew 12:40. Three translations that handled the matter in a comparable fashion to each other include the GNB (“big fish”), the NIV(“huge fish”), and the NKJV (“great fish”). It also should be noted that, as a matter of fact, the generic word in Greek for “fish” is ichthus—not ketos. The latter term varies from the former in that ketos refers generically to a sea monster, or perhaps, a huge fish (cf. Vine, 1952, p. 209).

What conclusion is to be drawn from these linguistic data? Both the Hebrew and Greek languages lacked the precision to identify with specificity the identity of the creature that swallowed Jonah. As Earl S. Kalland affirmed, “[t]he identity or biological classification of this great water monster is unknown” (1980, 1:401). Both dahg and ketos “designate sea creatures of undefined species” (Lewis, 2:178).

REFERENCES

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin), fourth edition.

Arndt, W.F. and F.W. Gingrich (1957), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).

Barnes, Albert (1949 reprint), Notes on the New Testament: Matthew and Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (1967/77), (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung).

Botterweck, G. Johannes and Helmer Ringgren (1978), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Cansdale, George S. (1975), The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed. Merrill C. Tenney (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Day, Alfred Ely (1939), “Dragon,” The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, James Orr, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974 reprint).

Gesenius, William (1847), Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1979 reprint).

Kalland, Earl S. (1980), “dag, daga,” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason Archer Jr., and Bruce Waltke (Chicago, IL: Moody).

Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1977 reprint), Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Lenski, R.C.H. (1961), The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg).

Lewis, Jack P. (1976), The Gospel According to Matthew (Austin, TX: Sweet).

Lyons, Eric (2001), “Behemoth and Leviathan—Creatures of Controversy,” Reason and Revelation, 21:1-7, January.

McGarvey, J.W. (n.d.), The Fourfold Gospel (Cincinnati, OH: Standard).

McClintock, John and James Strong (1881), Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1970 reprint).

Newman, Barclay M. Jr. (1971), A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament (London: United Bible Societies).

Thayer, Joseph H. (1901), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint).

Thompson, Bert (1996), “Jonah, Jesus, and Anti-supernaturalism,” Reason and Revelation, 16:86, November.

Vine, W.E. (1952), An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell).

Wigram, George W. (1890), The Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1980 reprint).

Can't Teach Morality in School by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=2113

Can't Teach Morality in School

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression: “You can’t legislate morality!” Actually, such a claim is fairly recent in American culture and flies directly in the face of fact. After all, God has legislated human morality from the very beginning of time. The laws of every country do the same. If we cannot legislate morality, shall we annul all our laws against murder, theft, and perjury in court? The notion is typical of the mindless drivel spouted since the 1960s by those who reject traditional American values—values that arose from the Bible.

The same may be said concerning the relentless attempt to expel God and morality from the public schools. Liberal educators insist that morality must not be taught in the school system. The theory is that moral standards have no objective reality. They arise from within persons and exist only in reference to the subjective opinion and will of the individual. Hence, schools should not attempt to enforce upon students one particular value system. Such insidious, suicidal nonsense has transformed the American public school system into a recipe for national disaster.

Acceptance of such thinking is not only a recent phenomenon in American history, the notion was soundly repudiated by the Founders of American education. A mountain of evidence exists to verify this claim. As one example, consider the founding of the University of Pennsylvania, due in large part to the efforts of Benjamin Franklin (“University of...,” n.d.). Nine signers of the Declaration of Independence and 11 signers of the Constitution were associated with this institution. This longtime traditional member of the Ivy League is a private university founded in 1740 in Philadelphia as a charity school. It became an academy in 1753, with Benjamin Franklin as president of the first board of trustees, and is credited with opening the first school of medicine in the United States in 1765. Consider the motto of the school: Leges sine moribus vanae. Meaning? “Laws without morals are useless.” What better description of what is happening to the nation in general and public education in particular?

REFERENCES

“University of Pennsylvania” (no date), Answers.com, [On-line], URL:http://www.answers.com/topic/university-of-pennsylvania.