LHIM Classes

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Humility in Application

Be willing to change; Bible critiques us.

Rules: Text can’t mean what it never meant; same particulars = same application.

Application can’t contradict NT elsewhere.

Avoid extremes (over/underspiritualize).

Application Process

Bridge gap: Comparable particulars vs. cultural customs (e.g., holy kiss = handshake).

Specific to general principles.

Problems

Particularizing: Over-apply specifics.

Generalizing: Ignore details.

Misgrouping: Too few/many texts, wrong combos.

Questions

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Two Steps of Interpretation

What it meant to them (historical context).

What it means today (application, next lecture).

Example: Rom 13:7 (pay taxes) – under Nero’s tyranny.

Avoid Time Problems

Anachronism: Reading modern ideas back (e.g., Adam’s computer).

Metachronism: Assuming ancients were primitive.

Historical Context Tools

Date book/author.

Research events (e.g., Nero’s reign).

Cultural insights: Honor/shame, patron-client.

Resources

Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias.

Ancient literature: Josephus, Mishnah.

Archaeology: Ur, Jericho walls.

Epigraphy: Sennacherib Prism.

Geography: Visit Holy Land.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Hermeneutics Overview

Rules for exegesis (explaining text).

Approaches:

Devotional (personal),

allegorical (hidden),

historical-critical (skeptical),

postmodern (perspective-based),

grammatical-historical (authorial intent).

We’ll be using the grammatical-historical hermeneutic: understand original meaning

7 Steps for Interpretation

Pray for illumination.

Determine genre (narrative, poetry, etc.).

Establish text (variants/translations).

Study text: Words, grammar, structure.

Explore larger context: Paragraphs, shifts, chiasm, inclusio.

Book as whole: Author, audience, occasion, purpose, mode.

Biblical intertextuality: Quotes, allusions, related books.

Conclusion: Restorationists seek authorial intent.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Challenges of Translation

“Translator, traitor”: Lose/add meaning.

Every translation is commentary

English groove from 500 years – hard to break traditions.

Process of Translation

Critical texts: BHS (OT), NA/UBS (NT).

Formal equivalence: Literal, word-for-word (e.g., NASB).

Dynamic: Thought-for-thought, readable (e.g., NIV).

Review: Committees avoid controversy.

Dangers

Individual: Bias unchecked.

Committee: Business-driven, audience-specific.

Detecting Bias

Types: Evangelical (e.g., NIV adds “Son of God” in Mark 1:1).

Mainline: Less bias (e.g., NRSV).

Catholic: NABRE

Jewish: OT focus (e.g., JPS).

Unitarian: Removes Trinitarian bias (e.g., REV).

Examples: Rom 9:5 (Christ as God? Ambiguous).

Conclusion : Compare translations; learn languages if possible.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Introduction

Different story from NT; 3 parts: Manuscripts, criticism, examples.

3 families:

Masoretic Text (MT),

Samaritan Pentateuch (SP),

Septuagint (LXX).

Oldest Scrolls

Silver Scrolls (7th c. BC): Numbers 6:24-26 blessing.

Nash Papyrus (2nd c. BC): Ten Commandments + Shema.

Masoretic Text (MT)

7th-10th c. AD; standardized Hebrew with vowels.

Leningrad Codex (1008 AD); basis for BHS.

Samaritan Pentateuch (SP)

Samaritan version of Torah; 2nd c. BC mss.

6,000 variants from MT; some ideological.

Septuagint (LXX)

Greek translation (3rd-2nd c. BC)

Early mss.: Codex Vaticanus, Sinaiticus.

Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS, 1947)

250 BC-68 AD; every OT book except Esther.

Confirm MT stability; some variants.

Textual Criticism

Rules: Shorter readings, harmonizations suspect.

Examples: Deut 32:8 (sons of God), Psalm 22:16 (pierced hands).

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Tower Analogy

Bible as foundation; manuscripts (mss.) copied by hand, with errors.

Compare mss. for original readings; critical text in Greek.

Focus: NT (OT next).

History of NT Texts

Byzantine texts: Majority (90% of mss.), used in East.

Latin Vulgate (Jerome, 382 AD): Based on Byzantine.

Renaissance: Return to originals; Valla exposed forgeries.

Reformation: Erasmus’s Greek NT (1516) – Textus Receptus.

18th-19th c.: Bentley– critical editions.

Discoveries: Codex Sinaiticus (1844), over 5,800 mss. now.

Textual Criticism

Compare variants; rules: Older mss. better, shorter/difficult readings preferred.

Tools: TCGNT, NET Bible, AI for variants.

Examples of Variants

1 John 5:7: Trinity comma – late addition.

Conclusion : 29 editions of Greek NT; exciting time.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Introduction to Bible Series

7-part series: Manuscripts, textual criticism, translation, interpretation, application.

Cover basics; go deeper if interested.

Two key principles: Primacy (Bible first) and perspicuity (Bible is clear).

Primacy of Scripture

Primacy: First importance/authority (e.g., diplomacy over war).

Sources of knowledge: Perception, innate, introspection, memory, reasoning, others, revelation.

Conflicts: Trust God most (ultimate expert).

Bible as revelation: 2 Tim 3:16-17 – God-breathed, useful for teaching/correction.

Primacy over tradition, reason, experience.

Perspicuity of Scripture

Perspicuity: Clarity; Bible understandable without experts.

Not all parts equally clear (e.g., Revelation vs. basics).

Clear on essentials (salvation, morals).

Early views: Church fathers like Chrysostom affirmed clarity.

Reformation: Luther vs. Catholic need for magisterium.

Inerrancy and Infallibility

Inerrancy: idea that the Bible contains no errors

Infallibility: idea that the Bible contains no mistakes

Historiography: Ancient standards differ on precision

Conclusion: Bible is primary and clear on essentials.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Opening Story: Execution of Michael Servetus (1553)

In Geneva, Switzerland; executed for rejecting Trinity and predestination.

Servetus was a genius doctor, theologian, discovered pulmonary circulation; wrote “Restoration of Christianity.”

John Calvin had him arrested and executed (burned at stake).

Backlash: Sparked quest for freedom of expression; ideas survived via others.

Lesson: Past intolerance; now we have freedom to question.

Milestones Overview

History shaped over 600 years toward modern restorationism.

Key factors: Awareness, freedom, access to info, tools, time, desire.

Goal: Recover authentic Christianity through dialogue.

Milestone 1: Renaissance (14th-17th c.)

Revival of classical learning; focus on originals (ad fontes).

Humanism: Lorenzo Valla exposed Donation of Constantine as forgery.

Led to questioning church authority; paved way for Reformation.

Milestone 2: Reformation (16th c.)

Martin Luther: 95 Theses (1517); challenged indulgences, purgatory.

Sola Scriptura: Bible over tradition.

Key figures: Calvin, Zwingli; but still burned heretics.

Radical Reformers (Anabaptists): Restore NT practices like believer’s baptism.

Spread via printing press (Gutenberg, 1450s).

Milestone 3: Enlightenment (17th-18th c.)

Reason over tradition; John Locke: Toleration of diverse views.

American influence: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, US Constitution on religious freedom

Milestone 4: Biblical Studies Advances (19th-20th c.)

Lexicons: Gesenius (Hebrew, 1810), Liddell-Scott (Greek, 1843).

Textual criticism: Tischendorf discovered Codex Sinaiticus (1844).

Archaeology: Dead Sea Scrolls (1947) confirmed ancient texts.

Translations: More accurate

Milestone 5: Modern Tools (20th-21st c.)

Digital access: Bible software, online resources.

AI: Analyze texts, detect biases.

Unprecedented freedom and information access

Conclusion: Providence led to current era for restoration.

Download: Restoration Theology Student Notes

Welcome to Restorationist Theology

Christian theology is worthwhile and exciting.

All Christians do theology – it’s how you summarize what the Bible says.

Everyone is a theologian; key question: Is your theology accurate? How to improve it?

Class goal: Think through theology comprehensively and methodically.

Defining Restorationism

Based on 3 beliefs:

Christianity has drifted from originals.

Possible to recover original Christianity.

We should recover and live it today.

Also called Christian primitivism (primitive = good, meaning early/original).

Goal: Correct errors based on final New Testament Christianity.

Class method: Systematic way to evaluate beliefs.

Why Restore? (Making the Case)

Example: Prayer for travelers – includes St. Christopher (patron saint), but Bible doesn’t mention saints or praying to them.

Shows how traditions add non-biblical elements.

Restorationism questions these additions.

Reasons to restore:

Bible warns against false teachings (e.g., Matt 7:15, 2 Pet 2:1).

Church history shows drift (e.g., indulgences, purgatory not in Bible).

Avoid errors from tradition; seek truth like Bereans (Acts 17:11).

Restorationist Approach

Dares to question received doctrines.

Slogan: “Fides quaerens veritatem” – faith seeking truth.

Not just explaining church teachings; evaluate and seek greater truth.

If you believe in restorationism, class teaches method to evaluate beliefs.

Restorationists are “Bible people”: Evaluate based on Bible, let it critique faith (not squeeze Bible to fit creed).

Class Preview

Outline of sessions:

Why Restore?

Milestones to Modern Restorationism.

Goal: Equip you to judge beliefs against Bible, measure doctrines.

Worth time to learn restoration theology.

Download: Session 8 Notes

Matthew 6:9-13 the Lord’s Prayer (disciple’s prayer) begins and ends with praise.

o Address God personally: “Our Father in heaven” — He is our Father.

Two Psalms believed to be David’s first:

Psalm 59:16-17 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

Psalm 7:17 I will give thanks to Yahweh according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.

David’s final recorded prayer – 1 Chronicles 29:1-23

Praise belongs to God alone:

Psalm 150:1-6; Revelation 4:11 All creation is called to honor God because He is the Creator and Sustainer of life.

Praise is not for human recognition, but for God’s glory:

Psalm 115:1 – Not to us, O Yahweh, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your lovingkindness because of Your truth.

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Him [Jesus] then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

We can only come to God and offer true worship through Jesus, because of His sacrifice, intercession, and priesthood. The word sacrifice implies giving up something valuable. Genuine praise often involves surrendering our time, comfort, circumstances which all seems very small in comparison to the Old Testament.

Let us continually offer up – Praise is not occasional, rather it is meant to be a continual practice of believers’ lives. Just as priests in the Old Testament offered continual sacrifices, believers now offer spiritual sacrifices.

1 Peter 2:1-5

Psalm 69:30-32 I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please Yahweh better than an ox or a young bull with horns and hoofs. The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.

Praise expresses gratitude and remembrance:

Psalm 103:1–22

Praise is a personal habit and a shared experience among believers:

Psalm 34:1–3 – I will bless Yahweh at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in Yahweh; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify Yahweh with me and let us exalt His name together.

2 Chronicles 5:13–14 – in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify Yahweh, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised Yahweh saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.

Praise is powerful and brings God’s presence:

Psalm 22:2-3 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

Praise can bring deliverance and spiritual breakthrough:

Acts 16:25-26 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.

Praise will continue forever:

Revelation 5:11-14 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Speaking in Tongues gives thanks well:

1 Corinthians 14:2-4 when a person prophesy, they are speaking on behalf of God to the people that will provide edification, exhortation and consolation.

1 Corinthian 14:13-18 the word “bless” comes from the Greek “eulogeo” meaning gratitude, honor and praise to God. We get the English word “eulogize” directly from this Greek word. Eulogize means to speak well of.

When we interpret tongues it is addressed to God not to men and it will eulogize and give thanks well.

Acts 2:11 …we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.

Acts 10:46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting [magnifying] God.