Exercise 7: Living Sent

This has been an amazing semester.  Congratulation!  You've made it to the last step!

This is the most important step because it puts together all that we've learned and it helps us to apply it to our lives.

Write a brief essay about ways in which you are currently living out the Great Commission and ways in which you would like to grow and possibly implement new plans.  Remember that the Commission covers a lot of different aspects and you can write about any of them - discipleship, baptism, teaching, forgiveness, going, picking up snakes, drinking poison, etc.  Be very practical and include some measurable and attainable goals for yourself.

Great job everybody!  I will give you the entire month of December to finish your essay.  Post it on the blog when you're done so we can encourage each other and help hold each other accountable with our goals.

A Few Random Things

Hey everybody!

Before I post our last exercise, I wanted to show you a couple things to help wrap up the last couple exercises.

To see Collin's extremely detailed outline with superb labeling, click here.

To see my side-by-side comparison of God's commissioning of Abraham to Jesus' commissioning of his disciples, click here.

I also highly recommend Dallas Willard's book, "The Great Omission," as a follow-up to this semester's blog group.

Just post a comment when you have viewed the above links.

Exercise #6: Outline of Mark 16:14-18

Outline Mark 16:14-18 - due by Sunday, November 20

For help on how to outline a passage, VIEW THIS LECTURE for guidelines and a sample

I will start it below, so you have the idea (there are many ways to do the outline, some better than others, but remember that it is less about getting the right answer and all about you spending time with these challenging words of Jesus)

"14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

I.  Jesus Appears To His Disciples (14)
    A.  Jesus appears to the eleven (14a)
          1.  When? - "afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves"
          2.  What were they doing? - "as they were reclining at table"
    B.  Jesus rebukes the eleven (14b)
          1.  Why? - "he rebuked them for..."
                a.   Reason 1: "their unbelief"
                b.   Reason 2: "hardness of heart"
          2.  Explanation: "because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen."

II. Jesus Commissions His Disciples (15-18)
(you finish it)

Group Meeting - This Sunday, Nov 13 at 8:45am

We will meet in the W&A Suite at 8:45am this Sunday, Nov 13 to share some cool insights from the Greek (can't wait to show you this) and a devotional thought from best-selling author Dallas Willard from his book entitled, "The Great Omission."  We will also go over how to do our last exercise of the semester!

See you then!

Exercise 5: Word Biblical Commentary

Normally I would wait until the last step to read a commentary since we are trying to discover the meaning for ourselves, but since I happen to be at the library, this week's assignment is just to read this short synopsis of what I found in the Word Biblical Commentary on Matthew 28:16-20 by Donald Hagner and respond to one question at the end.

1) One scholar says that Matthew 28:18-20 is the key to the whole understanding of the entire Gospel of Matthew.  It serves not only as a conclusion of the Gospel, but also as a microcosm.  In it we find these elements that are emphases from earlier in the Gospel:

a. Christology (all authority is given to me)
b. Discipleship (make disciples of all nations)
c. Ecclesiology - the theology of the Church (baptism, his presence with them always)
d. Righteousness (teaching them to do what I have commanded you)

2) Hagner then proceeds to compare and contrast Matthew's commission with those found in the other Gospels (just like we have - your work is better than his).  :>)

3) Schieber has seen a concentric structure (or a chiasm of sorts):

A :  Authority (v18b)
      B :  Making disciples (v19a)
            C :  Baptizing (the central element)
      B' :  Teaching (v20a)
A' :  Presence

4) There have been many interesting offers on the genre of Matthew 28:18-20.  Some ideas have been cult legend, word of revelation, theophany, farewell speech, priestly blessing, covenant renewal, official decree.  The two genres that Hagner find most helpful are the "enthronement hymn" (parallel texts in Dan 7:13-14; Phil 2:9-11) and the "commissioning narrative."  The form for a commissioning narrative is based on Old Testament commissions of patriarchs and prophets (God commissioning, say, Abraham or Jonah, for example).  Not all commissioning narratives have all the same elements, but there are some similar forms.  The fullest pattern contains these elements:

a. introduction
b. confrontation
c. reaction
d. commission
e. protest
f. reassurance
g. conclusion

Can you fit the elements of Matthew 28:16-20 into this form? (Hint: our passage doesn't contain a protest or a conclusion, which reports the obedience of the commissioned.)

Extra Credit (and for a ton of fun): What elements do you find in the commissioning of Jonah? What elements are found in the commissioning of Abraham (Genesis 12)?  How does Abraham's commissioning compare with Jesus' Great Commission in the Gospels?  Note the similarities.

Midterm Exam

This is an open-blog test :>)

True or False:

1) John is part of the Synoptic Gospels.

2) The epilogue (ending) of Mark is in question.  Different manuscripts offer different endings.

Multiple Choice:

3) Which Gospel's Commission offers the Trinitarian baptismal formula?
a) Matthew
b) Mark
c) Luke
d) John

4) Which Gospel's Commission emphasizes teaching and discipleship?
a) Matthew
b) Mark
c) Luke
d) John

5) Which Gospel's Commission relates forgiveness to spreading the Gospel?
a) Matthew
b) Mark
c) Luke
d) John
e) Luke and John

Please answer the following questions with a paragraph each:

6) Note some similarities and differences between the various Gospel traditions of the Great Commission.

7) As you have noticed, the Great Commission is set in the context of the Resurrection.  How does this affect the meaning of the Commission?  How are the two related?

Congratulations!  We are halfway through the semester!

Exercise #4: Your Answers

I will post here your analyses on the Resurrection.  Mine is done and Inger finished hers as well.  She actually changed up the way she did it so it made sense to her.  That's the idea!

Clay's Resurrection Synoptic Analysis

Inger's Resurrection Synoptic Analysis

Teri's Resurrection Synoptic Analysis

Collin's Resurrection Synoptic Analysis

Exercise #4: Synoptic Analysis

Resurrection Synoptic Analysis

Click the link above to download the Word document for this week's exercise.

I have already started for you, so you can see what you are supposed to do.  There is a legend on the upper right hand of the page for highlighting colors.

I highlighted a couple notes in light blue on the document itself, but allow me to explain here as well.  Words in italics are not exact matches but are related (if you are doing it by hand with colored pencils, then use a dashed underline to denote this).  Underlined words are words or phrases that have multiple matches but you can only highlight in one color (if you are using colored pencils by hand, denote this by underlining in two different colors.

When you're done, send me your completed docs and I'll post them for others to see.

Due by Monday, October 17

Have fun!

Exercise 3: Key Words & Key Verse

If you have finished your observations (feel free to do another set), we can now move to the second major category of the Inductive Method - Concentration (review all the steps of the method here).  The first couple steps in this category are in the exercise for this week.

Key Words: For each passage, list the words that you think are the most important in three categories: Primary (most important), Secondary (more important), Tertiary (important).  Hint: your primary words lists should be shorter than the others.

Key Verse:  For each passage, what is the key verse or phrase?  It should encapsulate the main point of the passage and/or summarize the main point.

Meeting Date Change!  In your syllabus, we were supposed to meet on October 16th, but I'm going to be out of town.  Instead, we will meet THIS SUNDAY, October 9 in my office at 8:45am.  See you then!

Exercise 2: Passage Observations

We had great participation on the first exercise!  Very proud of you guys...the observations were thoughtful and followed the guidelines very well.

This week, continue observations on the four commission stories, but focus only on the passages as listed in the posted Scripture

To save space and keep our posts concise, do your work on a separate document and then select some of your best work to post, rather than posting everything.  This will encourage us to read each others' work.

Click here to go to that post: Our Passages

Posting Collin's Obs for everyone to see

SIMPLE Truth: Observations

Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20

MATTHEW 28:

Weather:

·       Earthquake (v2)

·       Lightning (v3)

·       Snow (v3)

Travel:

·       Mary & Mary went to see the tomb (v1)

·       Mary & Mary leave for Galilee (v3)

·       Soldiers go to the city (v11)

·       Disciples went to Galilee (v16)

Fear is present:

·       For fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men (v4)

·       So they departed from the tomb with fear…(v8)

Told not to fear:

·       But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid” (v5)

·       Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid" (v10)

Everyone is in a hurry:

·       Appearance like lightning (v3)

·       Then go quickly (v7)

·       They departed quickly (v8a)

·       Ran to tell his disciples (v8b)

Marys and disciples see Jesus and worship him:

·       And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him (v9)

·       And when they saw him they worshiped him (v17)

Ranks present:

·       Guards, Soldiers (v2, v4, v 12b)

·       Elders (v12a)

·       Chief Priests (v11)

·       Governor (v14)

Note: Jesus claims ultimate authority in heaven and on earth (v18) after a meeting of men of earthly authority (v12-15).

Note: First commission is given to Mary & Mary: Go tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead (v7).

“Go”:

·       Go quickly and tell his disciples (v7)

·       Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee (v10)

·       Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (v19)

Contrast:

·       Faith of the women: Mary & Mary don’t see Jesus until they have already left to tell the disciples that Jesus  has risen (v8)

·       Doubt of the disciples: “some” of the disciples see Jesus in Galilee and “doubted (v17)

Contrast: Two different commissions

·       “Tell people His disciples came and stole him away while we were asleep.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. (v13)

·       “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. (v17)

Soldiers offered comfort

·       Sufficient sum of money (v12)

·       Keep you out of trouble (v15)

Jesus’ Commission:

·       Go (v19)

·       Make Disciples (v19)

·       Baptize (v19)

·       Teach (v20)

In (v17), there were still some that doubted despite seeing Jesus before their eyes, yet Jesus commissions his disciples to go out and make disciples.

Question: Matthew 28:20 – What all had Jesus commanded them?

Question: Matthew 28:17 – Do we know who doubted?

Question: Matthew 28:2 – What is significant about the angel sitting on the stone?

Question: Matthew 28:11-15 – Why is it important to tell the story of how the guards responded? Is it to paint the contrasting picture of the two responses to Jesus’ disappearance from the tomb (that of the guards & that of the two Marys)?

Question: Matthew 28:11-15 – Why, in the face of eyewitness testimony did the Jewish leaders generate a lie to explain to the authorities (the governor in this case) what happened to Jesus’ body?

MARK 16:

Fear is present:

·       Trembling and astonishment had seized them (v8a)

·       They were alarmed (v5)

·       For they were afraid (v8b)

Contrast:

·       Silence: They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (v8)

·       Tell everyone: Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (v15)

Disbelief is present:

·       But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. (v11)

·       And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them (v13)

·       Whoever does not believe will be condemned (v16)

Signs that accompany those who believe (v17):

·       In my name they will cast out demons (v17b) – mouth, proactive

·       They will speak in new tongues (v17c) – mouth, proactive

·       If they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them (v18b) – mouth, reactive

·       They will pick up serpents with their hands (v18a) – hands, reactive

·       They will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover (v18c) – hands, reactive

(v20b) the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Sitting on the right:

·       And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe (v5)

·       Was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (v19)

Jesus’ order of appearance

·       Mary Magdalene (v9)

·       “Two of them” (those that had been with him) (v12)

·       “the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table” (v14)

Question: Why did Mary & Mary bring spices? (v1)

Question: Why would Jesus specifically tell those that he had just rebuked for “unbelief and hardness of heart” to then go out and preach the gospel? (v14-15).

LUKE 24:

Unbelief of the apostles:

·       “seemed to them an idle tale (v11)

·       “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.” (v21)

·       Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts? (v38)

·       And while they still disbelieved (v41)

Contrast: Women believed the words, apostles did not

·       Women: “and they remembered his words” (v8)

·       Apostles: but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them (v11)

References to the Scriptures/Fulfillment:

·       That the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. (v7)

·       But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. (v21)

·       The prophets have spoken (v25)

·       Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer (v26)

·       Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures… (v27)

·       While he opened us to the Scriptures (v32)

·       That everything written about me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled(v44)

·       Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (v45)

·       Thus it is written (v46)

·       Forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations (v47)

Human characteristics of Jesus:

·       Flesh and bone (v39)

·       Hunger: “have you anything here to eat?” (v42)

Note: Jesus commissioned his apostles despite their unbelief.

JOHN 20:

Author sets himself apart:

·       The disciple whom Jesus loved (v2)

·       But the other disciple outran Peter (v4)

·       Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first (v8)

·       Believes before seeing Jesus: “He saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture,” (v8-9)

Seeing Jesus did not necessarily mean believing:

·       Mary (v14)

·       Disciples believed after “he showed them his hands and his side.” (v20)

·       Thomas (v26)

Jesus addresses this in (v29): “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Responses to Jesus’ appearance:

·       Mary: “Rabboni (Teacher)” (v16)

·       Thomas: “My Lord and My God”(v28)

Jesus provided his disciples with evidence:

·       Showed them his hands and his side (v20)

·       Breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (v21)

·       Put your finger here and see my hands (v27)

·       Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples (v20)

Jesus’ order of appearance:

·       Mary Magdalene (v16)

·       Disciples  (v19)

·       Disciples & Thomas (v26)

The “commission” comes in (v21): As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.

Question: In (v22) the disciples “receive the Holy Spirit.” I thought that does not happen until Pentecost (detailed in Acts)?

Question: Is Thomas not also commissioned? Does he not receive the Holy Spirit?

Exercise 1: Chapter Observations

Read Matthew 28 / Mark 16 / Luke 24 / John 20 and then make observations on these 4 chapters.  Treat each one as separate and do not compare them.  Don't look at any commentary or notes in your Bible.  Use the ESV version only (BibleGateway.com or BlueLetterBible.org).  Read the whole thing through a couple times before making any observations.  At this point you're looking to get an overview of the passages (wide angle).

It's probably best to start a WORD doc or something to keep all your work in.  Then copy and paste your best work when you post. Then comment on at least one other person's post (and any others that you want to).

Post your material by next Sunday.

Here are the TOP TEN tips for making good observations:

10. Report what is said, not what is inferred
9. Look for repetition/variations/possible patterns
8. Use different lenses: wide angle and zoom
7. Don’t just repeat the text; observe what it says and how it says it
6. Note major changes in form and content
5. When possible, make charts/lists
4. Raise questions
3. Be cautious of generalizing
2. Make your observations a variety of lengths
1. Don’t hesitate to state the obvious
0. Note the verse(s) you are making observation about

Sample Observations

Sample Observations

Observations on Isaiah 40-44

Note: These are two long observations.  You can certainly have observations that are much shorter, sometimes only one sentence.  Here I wanted to give you a couple examples of observations that cover large sectional themes.  Note that for the most part, the observations are in complete sentence form.

1) Frequently, in the chapters 43-44, Isaiah records God expressing his responsibility for the creation of his people, ‘I formed you.’  A version of this phrase appears in 43:1, 7, 21 and 44:2, 21, 24. 

There are some notable variations on this phrase.  One variation on this theme occurs in 43:21 where God gives the ‘reason’ for forming his people: ‘that they may proclaim my praise.’

Also, in chapter 44, both verses where ‘I formed you’ occurs (2, 24) add the addendum, ‘in the womb.’

Another interesting variation appears in 43:1 with the synonymous verbs, ‘he who created you’ and ‘he who formed you.’  A triplet verb repetition makes a very strong statement in 43:6b-7 – fatherly terms are used as the subject, ‘my sons…and my daughters,’ and the verbs ‘created,’ ‘formed,’ and ‘made’ appear in succession.

Question: are these three verbs (created, formed, made) merely synonyms, or does each one have its own unique meaning in the original Hebrew?

2) This entire section (Isaiah 40-44) is moved along rhythmically by a series of questions that God asks about his character.  Some of the questions are rhetorical because they offer no direct answer.  An indirect answer may be implied, but the tension builds as questions are asked and no direct answer is given.  Other questions are answered directly and forcefully.  These provide relief to the literary tension created by the scattered questions that are rhetorical in nature.  An observation related to the questions is that they are usually addressing God’s powers over the powers of other gods or humans.  Here is a brief outline of the questions (and answers in bold):

Chapter 40:

Who has measured the waters…marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust…weighed the mountains on the scales…?  (v12)

Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD…?

Whom did the LORD consult…who taught him the right way? (v13)

Who was it that taught him knowledge…understanding? (v14)

With whom…will you compare God? (v18)

Do you not know? Have you not heard…from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded? (v21)

“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” (v25)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? (v26)

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God…Creator of the earth. (v28)

Chapter 41:

Who has done this…calling forth the generations from the beginning?
I, the LORD—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.” (v4)

Chapter 42:

Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? (v24)

Which of their gods foretold this…proclaimed to us former things? (v9)

Chapter 43:

“When I act, who can reverse it?” (v13b)

Chapter 44:

Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. (v7)

Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any." (v8b)