Category Archives: Bible Study

Theology Summary Bible Study, Pt. 13: The Divine Christ

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In this study, St. John (1:1-3) uses “Word” (Logos) to describe the Second Person of the Trinity. The Word describes the Christ before creation, and thus, it is a reference to His divine nature. It is not until verse 14, that we hear of Christ’s incarnation saying “the Word became flesh.”

Continually, we are forced to  hold our reason captive. The Word is described as “with God” indicating a distinction, and then with the words “was God” indicating no distinction. In Colossians 1:15-16, the Christ is “the image of the invisible God,” which is quite contradictory to human reason. Furthermore, the Christ is described as “the brightness of His glory” and  “the exact image of His person”(Hebrews 1:1-3). Those who wish to know the Father must look to the Christ.  Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Handout: The Christ Aug 12 2018

[Note: Picture of Divine Savior Lutheran Church, Niwot, CO]

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The Flood Bible Study

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The world-wide flood and the saving of Noah and his family in an ark is an historical event (Gen 6-9).  The Lord was grieved at the general wickedness of man.  This widespread corruption  is seen in the actions of Cain’s descendants (Gen. 4:17-24).  In contrast, the descendants of Seth (Gen 4:25-5:32) give us a description of the church and her righteous-by-faith members.  Like Noah, those who trust in God for salvation through the promise of the Savior are declared righteous and find favor with God.

Our Lord Jesus Christ warns us that that the destruction worked by the flood is a sign to warn us of God’s judgment upon unbelievers at the return of the Son of Man (Mt 24:36-39).  Until that day comes, we see the Divine long-suffering and kindness of God in showing mercy(Isaiah 54:7-10), and inviting to salvation.  Our Triune God is continuing to send out preachers to direct us, Noah’s descendants, to the water of Holy Baptism, which saves by uniting us with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18-22).  Thus the account of the ark also comforts believers that “the Lord knows how to deliver  the godly out of temptations” (2 Peter 2:4-10).  The ark is a sign of God’s promised means of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Handout: Noah-and-Flood-Aug-5-2018.pdf

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Creation/Evolution Bible Study

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The Bible is not a science book, nor is it designed with the purpose of presenting to us scientific principles, nevertheless, where the Bible speaks of creation it always tells the truth. The Triune God created the world in six normal days as described by Genesis, chapter one.  Both theistic evolution and atheistic evolution deny the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures and the truth of the doctrines it presents. Even more importantly, evolution negates the need for Christ’s atonement for sin.

Handout: Creation-Evolution-July-29-2018.pdf
Answers to the Line of the Promise Handout: Answers-Line-of-Promise-July-29-2018.pdf

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt.12: Helpful Observations

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Class #12:  This week we  examined a host of Bible passages which bear witness to our one God and three persons.  Applying the rules we learned concerning the internal and external works of  the Trinity, we went through some useful and helpful observations that can help us in clearly speaking about the Holy Trinity–so that we neither confound the persons, nor divide the substance.

Handout: opera ad extra and opera ad intra July 15
Handout 2: Trinity and Unity Heresies July 15 (yellow sheet)
[Picture: Pr. Henson in front of Christ Lutheran Church (Richmond, MO)

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt. 11: The External Works of the Trinity

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Class #11:  Last week we learned that the external works of God are undivided.  “When God outside His essence works something among His creatures, then the three persons are together and work together, because there is one doer and maker.”  The corollary, which needs to be maintained, is: “For in the external works the three persons are together and work together, AND YET with a certain order and with the properties of each person preserved” (p.75)

Thus, we maintain the order and properties of each person!  Only the second person of the Trinity took on human flesh.  Therefore, we cannot say, “The Father took on human flesh.”  But we can say, “God took on human flesh.”  We can say that when Jesus died for us, God died for us, or that the death is the work of God.  Similarly, when Jesus was born, we call Mary the theotokos, the God-bearer.

Handout:  opera-ad-extra-and-opera-ad-intra.pdf
Handout 2:  Trinity-and-Unity-Heresies-July-15.pdf

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Part 10: The Works of the Trinity

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Class #10:  How do we speak about the Triune God?  The Athanasian Creed correctly instructs us that we need to do it “not confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.”  In order to speak correctly, we must understand where the Holy Scriptures are speaking about the unity of God and where they are speaking about the Trinity of persons.

There are two rules to help us.  1. The external works of God are undivided.  “When God outside His essence works something among His creatures, then the three persons are together and work together, because there is one doer and maker.”   2. The internal works of God are divided.  “The works which God does outside of all created things, within Himself, are not common to the three persons, but are peculiar to only one person, so this it is characteristic of the Father to beget, of the Son to be begotten, and of the Holy Spirit to proceed from both.”  (Loci Theologici, p.74)

Handout: opera ad extra and opera ad intra

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Theology Summary Bible Class Pt.9: Face to Face

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Class #9:  We think that God is working, when we are victorious and everything is going our way.  When tragedy hits, we think that God has abandoned us. That kind of thinking  is dead wrong.  We learned from Jacob’s wrestling with God(Gen 32) and Manoah’s visit from God that we don’t recognize God. We don’t have spiritual receptors. Like Moses we want to see the glory (Ex 33:18). God tells him, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live” (v.20). God promises to go with Moses and show him goodness, graciousness, and compassion. The Divine Service proclaims those same promises of forgiveness and Jesus’ presence with His church.  We call that revelation proclaiming “the name of the Lord” (v.19). With that promise revealed to us in the Word, we can face anything, even death.  God is mightily working through suffering and the cross.  Sometime after the fact, we get to see God’s back–where He has been working.

The prophet Moses is unlike any other prophet.  Moses does get to talk with God like a man speaks to his friend face-to-face, mouth-to-mouth. He doesn’t see the essence of God(Jn 4:24), but a similtude or form(Num 12:8).

Handout: Jacob Wonderful Name
Handout: The Name of the Lord Jun 24 2018

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt. 8: Wonderful

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Class #8:  Romans 10:13-15 quotes Joel 2:32, “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” With this phrase, the New Testament and the Old Testament agree that “calling on the name of the LORD” encompasses (1) the entire revelation of Jesus Christ (2) through the pastoral ministry(the preaching of the Word, the divine service, faith, confession, etc.).

In Judges 13, Manoah and his wife do not realize that the angel of the LORD is God Himself.  When they figure it out, Manoah is sure that they will die for having seen God.  In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with a man but does not know who He is. The revelation of God which they desire is too wonderful(Isaiah 9:6). That is, it is beyond human understanding. Through Jacob’s clinging to Jesus Christ, God says to him,  “you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” The revelation of God is always centered in Jesus Christ!

Document: Handout The Name of the Lord Jun 17 2018
Presentation: Presentation The Name of the Lord Jun 17 2018

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Theology Summary Bible Class, Pt. 7: Yahweh

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Class #7:  Exodus 3 is the greatest revelation of God’s proper name, “Yahweh,” in the Old Testament.  Verses 13-14 read, “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

YHWH or Yahweh is the proper name of God and is translated “I am” in most English Bibles. The name Yahweh is not a secret or magic formula, but a revelation of God’s nature and his Gospel promise to redeem His people (Ex 6:2-8).  Yahweh is the God, who remembers His unilateral covenantal promises.

[Unfortunately the last ten minutes of this study didn’t get recorded.]

Document: Yahweh Name Explanation Lord
Document 2: The Name of the Lord c
Document 3: Diagrams

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Theology Summary Bible Class Pt. 6: The Name of the LORD

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Class #6:   Genesis 4:26, says, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” The “name of the LORD” is not one particular name, nor does it simply denote prayer, as if there had been no prayer before Enosh. It is by God’s name that He reveals the nature of who He is and has will toward us. “To call on the name of the LORD” refers to the formal church activities of invocation, profession, and the reception of God’s gifts.

In the New Testament, the Gospel of St. John also speaks this way.  Rather than say, “believe in the LORD,” it says “… He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…” (1:12). We believe in Jesus because of the revelation of God in His Word.  Our prayers are to be in accordance with God’s revelation of His person and His work (Jn 14:13). Finally, the gift of the Holy Spirit also comes through the self-revelation of God through His Word (Jn 14:26).

Handout: The Name of the Lord Handout
Handout 2: The Definition of God Handout b

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