Q: Is a Christian reading of the Old Testament cultural appropriation?

A: Not necessarily.

This might be a hot take—or not. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in reading the Bible through a Jewish lens. The BEMA podcast is a great example of this (and a great podcast), as is the Bible Project. I can’t overstate how great these two are.

It’s important, however, to remember that a Christian reading of the Old Testament is not necessarily inferior to a Jewish reading of the Scriptures. Jesus is the greatest Jewish rabbi, and when we read the Hebrew Scriptures through his lens, we are not committing cultural appropriation. The Old Testament belongs to us, too.

First, a “Christian reading” of the Old Testament isn’t a non-Jewish interpretation. Every Jewish reader is informed and influenced by some rabbi or rabbinical tradition that helps them work with the Torah. For Christians, Jewish or not, Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish rabbi who serves as our sponsor into the Scriptures. His Jewish students (or disciples) and other Jewish rabbis (e.g., Paul) used their Scriptures to make sense of the life of Christ. Gentiles like me were welcomed to the table by Jews like them. I’m doing my best to follow that particular Jewish Rabbi and his Emmaus Way of unveiling the books he revered as Scripture.

Second, as Christ-centered methods of interpretation are happily emerging, it is a mistake to imagine the Old Testament, as such, waiting for us to lay a Christ-lens over it, as if the Christ-directed focus were not already there. The Emmaus Way was never about changing what the Bible meant after the fact. Rather, it’s an unveiling by the Spirit of God, who was always breathing the words in anticipation of the incarnation. (pg. 140-141)

Reading the Old Testament with Jesus in our minds and eyes is to read Scripture like the disciples on the Emmaus Road. “Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him!” (Luke 24:31)

Unfortunately, this Saturday’s recording is not available this week. (User error.)

Saturday’s sermon is entitled, “If it weren’t such good poetry…” and is organized around three passages of Scripture: Psalm 19, Psalm 8:3-5, and Romans 8:18-24.

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Psalm 19 begins as a creation hymn. It sings God’s praises by attributing the acts of praise and adoration to the sun, moon, and stars. Its poetry is showcased with the almost nonsensical verses 3 and 4,

There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth
    and their words to the end of the world.

If it weren’t such good poetry, it would be nonsense. But it’s great poetry. It plays with words and uses astounding images to convey what is beyond expression, God’s glory.

Where Psalm 19’s first half declares the glory of the universe (the macro level), the latter half, along with Psalm 8:3-5, declares the glory of God’s creation of man (the micro level).

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
    mortals that you care for them?

5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
    and crowned them with glory and honour.

God’s creation of humanity is as spectacular and awe-inspiring as his making of the Pillars of Creation, the Eagle Nebula, or the Milky Way.

The heavens declare the glory of God; but the human face bears God’s image.

God’s care in creation is a source of hope on both the macro and micro levels. In the same way that the poet of Psalm 19 can’t quite find the right words to describe the glory of God in the heavens, we struggle to describe the glory of God found in our faces. We are God’s image bearers, his icons, but we are cracked, and we need repair, healing, and redemption.

Made just a little less than divine (Psalm 8) doesn’t keep us from pain, failure, and disappointment. But just as we are subject to these things, we are objects of God’s love and rescue.

Romans 8:21-24 speaks to the liberation of God’s image bearers from the decay of creation.

… the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved.

May it be so. Amen.

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What have we lost? What are we losing? What will we lose when we try to record every experience digitally? Another call for us to live in the moment. It’s the only place we’ll find God or one another. — Enjoy the Moment

Wendell Berry, per usual, was way ahead of us in considering this phenomenon. Here’s his poem about a dad and his video camera. - The Vacation

In this three-part symposium on the life and thought of Dallas Willard, Michael Robb thinks aloud about the influence of Dallas on how Christians think about Jesus and how Christians think like Jesus. — A Symposium with Michael Steward Robb.

This is from the online journal - Conversation.org, which is a great source for “long form” journalism exploring Christian faith and spirituality.

The Visual Commentary on Scripture displays biblically inspired art through the ages. This website is a rich and pleasant experience. — VCS|The Visual Commentary of Scripture

It may seem sarcastic, but this post has a heart of gold. Three cheers for all the Waynes out there! Maybe you’ll be compelled to pick up the phone and text a thank you to your personal “Wayne.” — Youth Pastors, By Decade

This is a great conversation a book I’m looking forward to reading. Geoff and Cyd have a great podcast and are doing great stuff in the realm of theology and trauma.

Your work is important. Not only that, it is as sacred as any religious profession. This is a classic from the Inkling Dorothy Sayers — The Secular Vocation is Sacred

George McDonald is famous as a writer of children’s book and as C.S. Lewis’s inspiration for the Narnia Chronicles. He was also a pastor who lost his pulpit because he thought too much of God’s extravagant grace. In his sermon, “In Neighbor Love,” McDonald wrote,

A man must not choose his neighbor; he must take the neighbor that God sends him. The neighbor is just the man who is next to you at the moment, the man with whom any business has brought you in contact. In him, whoever he be, lies, hidden or revealed, a beautiful brother.

You can read the rest of this sermon, In Neighbor Love, or find it in his collection called Unspoken Sermons.

James Earl Jones, and thanks for sharing your voice with us! RIP Darth Vader’s voice, Mufasa, and Admiral Greer. Well done!

Wheatland is in the middle of preaching series on the Psalms called, “Pray as you can. Not as you can’t.” In that spirit, I submit another song from Wendell Kimbrough. This one is based on Psalm 37 — The Day of the Lord And this one comes from Psalm 62 — I’ll Not Be Shaken

Does God wound us? Psalm 41 (actually Psalm 38) to say so. In this message, Paul suggests that we are wounded by God because of our sins and also because of our proximity to Jesus. Psalm 41 38 opens some space for ways to think through the pain we may encounter in seeking to follow God.

Maybe this wounding is more metaphoric than intentional. Perhaps close association with God includes walking with wounds.

Reflecting on the wrath of God, Brad Jersak has said,

Wrath is a metaphor for the intrinsic consequences of our refusal to live in the mercies of God.

One of my favorite books on prayer is C.S. Lewis’s Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. His advice is deep and practical. This brief article gives us a taste of Lewis’s thoughts on prayer. — How To Enjoy Prayer

This one might be a little controversial, but it’s not wrong. The family is important, and so is the church. They go together, but are they the same thing? — Is your family a little church?

Robert Wilken is a world-class historian and theologian. This article is a clear and helpful history of the interpretation of Scripture. You may have heard the terms “spiritual reading” or “allegory” in relationship to the Bible. If so, this article helps you make sense of those ideas. — How To Read The Bible

In a similar vein, Pauline Viviano teaches about the “Senses of Scripture” in this clear, concise, and enlightening article on reading Scripture the “medieval” way. — The Senses of Scripture

What are we to do with those Psalms that talk about breaking our enemies’ teeth, killing their offspring, and calling down fire from heaven? Pray them.

It could be a verb or a noun. In this case, it’s a noun. Is that better or worse? Either way, this coffee is notoriously good. — Kopi Luwak

Wheatland’s Karen Bartlett preached for us last week on Psalm 1. You can catch her sermon on our Substack here (Droughts, Roots, and Fruits.) In addition, you can also pick up her latest book (and you know you should), Healing Deepest Hurts.

Hank Hill famously said, “You’re not making Christianity better; you’re just making Rock-n-Roll worse.” But there are exceptions! Take this great song by Phil Keaggy. Keaggy plays it live and acoustic about 30 years after its release. The guitar work is joyful and well worth the listen. Phil Keaggy — What A Day!

I’m really looking forward to this book by Andrew Arndt.

Good pictures. Good words. I always enjoy Scott Erickson.

Mike Glenn’s post is a heart-warming boost — The Way Love Leads.

Todd Hunter’s posts are always insightful. This one is a great reminder of one of life’s great necessities. — The Gift of Moral Knowledge.

Slow Jesus by A.J. Svoboda. Sometimes slow really is the only way.

Karen Bartlett did a masterful job in the series, “Pray as you can, Not as you can’t” with her contribution from Psalm 1. She includes some great music too!

On that note, here’s a quick clarification from Karen regarding one of the illustrations form here message.

If you heard Karen’s sermon, she would like to clarify that the story about India and the two idols. The man made idol, Vishnu, was taken to the temple on the back of an elephant and then taken inside where the temple doors were closed to the public. Only the procession to the temple was witnessed by the crowd.

Also, you can buy Karen’s latest book, Healing Deepest Hurts at Invite Resources. Go get one!

In A More Christlike Word, Brad Jersak quotes Father John Behr, a scholar of early Christianity, who says,

If you aren't reading the Old Testament allegorically, you're not reading it as Scripture!

With this quote, Behr adds his voice to David Bentley Hart's, who was quoted in last week's post,

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Not to read the Bible in the proper manner is not to read it as the Bible at all; scripture is in-spired, that is, only when read "spiritually."

For Behr, Hart, and, Brad Jersak, to read the Old Testament with an eye for allegory is to read it spiritually. Reading the Old Testament allegorically doesn’t deny the plain sense, but it does reveal “hidden” depictions of Jesus and the Gospel. This belief originated with the apostles, who asserted that the "Law, the Prophets, and salvation history are shadows cast by and unveiled in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ."

Reading the Old Testament "spiritually" meant seeing it point to something greater than the sum of its events. Jonah is not just a story about a whale. It is a story that foreshadows Jesus' burial and resurrection. When King David ascends the Mount of Olives, it is not an accident of geography. It is a sign that points to David's Son, Jesus, who leaves Jerusalem on the eve of his death to pray in the same place.

Watch out! A tree in the Old Testament may not just be any old tree. It may be pointing to the cross of Jesus. There were two trees in Eden. Could one of them point to the wood of Jesus' cross?

The Apostle Paul illustrates this spiritual reading of the Old Testament well in I Corinthians 10:1-4. Warning the young church, he says,

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

First, Paul likens the journey of the Christian life to the Exodus. Going through the Red Sea was a type of baptism. It foreshadowed the baptism of the Corinthian Christians. Second, the "spiritual food" and "spiritual drink" are images of the Lord's Supper. Instead of manna and water from the rock, it is bread and wine.

And third, about that rock. Paul says that the rock "that accompanied them," which Moses struck with his rod until water flowed, was Christ. He clearly connects Exodus 17:6, where Moses hits a rock with a stick to get water, with Christ being struck on his way to the crucifixion.

To read the Bible spiritually, to read the Old Testament rightly, is to see Jesus behind its people, places, and things. It is to hear the Gospel proclaimed in unexpected, even unworthy, voices and to see the faithless behavior of God's people point to God's ultimate redemption.

This is what Jesus hints at in John 5:39-40, 45-47.

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?

To read the Old Testament spiritually is to see Christ signified in stories and events that we might otherwise think are beneath him. This is a Gospel-focused reading of the Old Testament that takes the plain sense seriously but sees through it and beyond it to the Lord of life.

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If you’ve not followed the Wichita Podcast, you should check them out on your favorite podcast thingy. Here’s the link to their visit with the folks at the Treehouse!

If you enjoy it you can hear about other important things like Legacy Ministries, the Lebanese Dinner, McConnell Airbase, and Wichita Pronunciations! Fun stuff!

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This one pack’s a punch. It is a reminder that the depth of God’s work in our lives doesn’t take place in our personal vaccuums. It takes a family, a village, a kingdom, and, most importantly, a church.

Winn Collier is a pastor and author. He is best known for his biography of Eugene Peterson. He, unfortunately, left the St. off of Peterson’s name throughout the book - don’t know what that’s about - but it’s still a great tribute to one the greatest.

I recommend his Substack/Winn Collier. It’s brand new so there’s only two posts, but they are worth your time and may just give you a dose of hope.

According to the “About” section on his Substack, Ben Hein is a Calvinist who ministers to the urban poor. In this post he asks all those who love their country if such a thing is possible when we hate our neighbors. — Trading One Political Idol for Another

There is power in social myths. Whether it’s politics or the NFL, we are easily sucked in. I would say “enjoy” but that’s probably the wrong encouragement. — Beware Social Myths, Alan Noble

This article from the Christian Science Monitor has been making the rounds for awhile. It’s a fascinating exploration of what some may call “alternative lifestyles” with the deep tradition of the Christian faith. I am interested in all takes. — Rebels with a religious cause: Meet New York’s avant-garde conservatives

This is a fun one. Not one of my English teachers taught me this but I obey this rule without fail. I bet you do too. Have fun English majors! — Order force: the old grammar rule we all obey without realising | Tim Dowling | The Guardian

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We’ve all heard some weird takes on the Bible. We all know that it gets misused on a regular basis. It’s not a new problem either. In the late 18th-century, the poet William Blake wrote,

Both read the Bible day and night,
But thou read’st black where I read white.

It’s true. People use the Bible for their own ends. And people misuse the Bible with complete sincerity. Good people have come to different conclusions about the same parts of the Bible. Is there a way to read it and trust that we are getting the message right? Origin, Christianity’s first great bible scholar, said the following,

The reason for the false beliefs and impious or ignorant assertions about God appears to be nothing else than Scripture not being understood according to its spiritual sense, but taken as regarding the bare letter.

Literalism doesn’t do it. But, according to Origin, reading it in the “spiritual sense” does. David Bentley Hart, always a little caustic, agrees.

…Fundamentalist literalism is a modern heresy, one that breaks from Christian practice with such violence as to call into question whether those who practice it are still truly obedient to the apostolic faith at all. That is not an accusation, but it is a lament …

Not to read the Bible in the proper manner is not to read it as the Bible at all; scripture is in-spired, that is, only when read “spiritually.”

Origen and Hart warn us that we can completely miss what God is saying while reading the Bible. They hint at a “trick” that helps one get what the Bible is saying. This trick isn’t reading it in context, learning the language, or knowing all of the cultural background to the Bible. These things are important and they help. But, reading it “spiritually” is the trick.

And just what might that be?

(stay tuned)

The Psalms are a school of prayer, and Rick Barlett does a masterful job of opening Psalm 111 for all of us. I’m grateful for his guidance and encouragement. I encourage you to listen to this sermon with the text of Psalm 111 open before you.