Week 2: What Happened in the Garden
This week we continue our online Book Club book and as always if you ever have any questions or suggestions for books, movies or topic discussions, please send me an e-mail at overflowblog@outlook.com.
Recommended Reading:
Chapters 4-6 (Pages 101-172)
Total page count excluding chapter bibliographies: ~62 pages
Chapters 4-6 (Pages 101-172)
Total page count excluding chapter bibliographies: ~62 pages
Key Quotes:
Chapter 4:"Genesis 3 is the story that tells you how you came to be so unable to read the story being told…If you have ever wondered why there are so many varying -- and opposed-- interpretations of Genesis 3, I would like to suggest to you that Genesis 3 is not the problem. It is the explanation." (103)
"Man is incurvatus in se- curved inward into himself. We are unable so see accurately beyond ourselves, to really see either God or His world. All we see is ourselves; our view is selfish in every sense." (110)
Chapter 5:"Every individual is a part of the 'mass of sin' or 'mass of damnation' in Adam until cut off and unite with Christ. Humans are part of this 'mass' by their origin, not choice." (125)
"The solidarity of Christ-followers with Christ in his resurrection corresponds to the solidarity of all humans in Adam's death." (130)
Chapter 6:“The serpent’s seed will be the people who follow the serpent’s deceptive ways of offering wisdom apart from its divine source…the woman’s seed must be understood as followers of the Lord because the woman is the object of the Lord’s redemption in this account.” (161)
“I do not believe that such a solidly grounded hope is worth sacrificing for some imaginary upper story ‘faith’. Do you?” (168)
Engagement Questions:
Chapter 4:1. Grant Horner makes the case that Christ is the only one who faced temptations which were exterior and infinite. What does he mean by that? What then does it mean that we face temptations which are interior and singular?
2. Why do you think God placed the forbidden tree in the middle of the garden? Do you agree with Dr. Horner's interpretation?
Chapter 5:1. What does the doctrine of original sin imply and not imply?
2. What characteristics of the Old Testament help inform our current understanding of the doctrine of original sin?
3. What 5 key observations does the author make as they relate to the Pentateuch and the doctrine of original sin?
Chapter 6:1. How did Francis Schaeffer’s division of history (lower) and faith (upper) affect how Christians defended their faith?
2. What is the protoevangelium?
3. What three interpretations are made for Genesis 3:15 not necessarily pointing to a future Messiah? What counter-points can be made?
Key Definitions:
Chapter 4:Post-lapsarian- After the fall
Chapter 5: Etiological- Serves to explain something by a cause or reason for it.
Summary:Chapter 4:It probably comes with no shock to you that there are many disagreements between Christians on how a certain text or doctrine is to be understood. Perhaps you never thought about why it is that people differ in opinion. Too often we just chalk it up to us all having different perspectives or possibly we blame the theological camp that we had grown up in. However, there is an ultimate reason and that reason is found in Genesis 3, the Fall. Dr. Grant Horner's chapter convicts our hearts at times and reminds us of our deepest problem. All of humanity, yes that includes you and me, have become so deeply impacted by the Fall that we "have not only lost our ability to know God -- we have lost our ability to know that we have lost our ability" (109). However, if we were to write off Genesis 3 as merely a fairy tale, then why is the gospel the good? If the fall described in Genesis 3 is purely mythological, then is there a valid explanation for the depravity of all mankind? As Dr. Horner questioned, if we do not believe Genesis 1-3, then why do we believe the Gospel?
Chapter 5:Dr. Paul Thorsell kicks off Part Two by helping us to have a clearer understanding of the formulation and affirmations on the doctrine of original sin. He begins by looking to Augustine of Hippo, the individual who is credited with articulating this doctrine originally, then quickly walks through how his understanding has shaped the church's understanding of original sin throughout the ages. While a bit technical, he does well in showing us that this doctrine was accepted by the church historically, although there were slight flavors in their understanding over the years. Additionally, the doctrine is well supported by the Scriptures and do align with Augustine's original understanding. But why is this important and should believers even care whether or not original sin is true? Dr. Thorsell provides a Biblical foundation for how believers should understand the consequences of original sin and why everything is the way that it is.
Chapter 6:In the second of the two chapters on the theological ramifications of the fall, Dr. William Varner discusses how we begin to view the whole of Scripture in Christo-centric, Christ-centered, terms. The argument being made that if Genesis 3:15 does not point to a real, future, supernatural, male who would suffer in his role and utterly defeat Satan, then is there even a reason for our faith? Without this prophetic word from God, does our faith have any correlation with reality or is it, as Schaeffer opined, simply “faith in one’s faith” but not actually based on “verifiable events” (154). Dr. Varner shows the significance of holding to the Messiah prophesied in Gen 3:15 as one who a fulfillment of a very real event which points to a very real hope that is the basis for many of the other Messianic prophecies that come afterwards.
Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez
Chapter 4:"Genesis 3 is the story that tells you how you came to be so unable to read the story being told…If you have ever wondered why there are so many varying -- and opposed-- interpretations of Genesis 3, I would like to suggest to you that Genesis 3 is not the problem. It is the explanation." (103)
"Man is incurvatus in se- curved inward into himself. We are unable so see accurately beyond ourselves, to really see either God or His world. All we see is ourselves; our view is selfish in every sense." (110)
Chapter 5:"Every individual is a part of the 'mass of sin' or 'mass of damnation' in Adam until cut off and unite with Christ. Humans are part of this 'mass' by their origin, not choice." (125)
"The solidarity of Christ-followers with Christ in his resurrection corresponds to the solidarity of all humans in Adam's death." (130)
Chapter 6:“The serpent’s seed will be the people who follow the serpent’s deceptive ways of offering wisdom apart from its divine source…the woman’s seed must be understood as followers of the Lord because the woman is the object of the Lord’s redemption in this account.” (161)
“I do not believe that such a solidly grounded hope is worth sacrificing for some imaginary upper story ‘faith’. Do you?” (168)
Engagement Questions:
Chapter 4:1. Grant Horner makes the case that Christ is the only one who faced temptations which were exterior and infinite. What does he mean by that? What then does it mean that we face temptations which are interior and singular?
2. Why do you think God placed the forbidden tree in the middle of the garden? Do you agree with Dr. Horner's interpretation?
Chapter 5:1. What does the doctrine of original sin imply and not imply?
2. What characteristics of the Old Testament help inform our current understanding of the doctrine of original sin?
3. What 5 key observations does the author make as they relate to the Pentateuch and the doctrine of original sin?
Chapter 6:1. How did Francis Schaeffer’s division of history (lower) and faith (upper) affect how Christians defended their faith?
2. What is the protoevangelium?
3. What three interpretations are made for Genesis 3:15 not necessarily pointing to a future Messiah? What counter-points can be made?
Key Definitions:
Chapter 4:Post-lapsarian- After the fall
Chapter 5: Etiological- Serves to explain something by a cause or reason for it.
Summary:Chapter 4:It probably comes with no shock to you that there are many disagreements between Christians on how a certain text or doctrine is to be understood. Perhaps you never thought about why it is that people differ in opinion. Too often we just chalk it up to us all having different perspectives or possibly we blame the theological camp that we had grown up in. However, there is an ultimate reason and that reason is found in Genesis 3, the Fall. Dr. Grant Horner's chapter convicts our hearts at times and reminds us of our deepest problem. All of humanity, yes that includes you and me, have become so deeply impacted by the Fall that we "have not only lost our ability to know God -- we have lost our ability to know that we have lost our ability" (109). However, if we were to write off Genesis 3 as merely a fairy tale, then why is the gospel the good? If the fall described in Genesis 3 is purely mythological, then is there a valid explanation for the depravity of all mankind? As Dr. Horner questioned, if we do not believe Genesis 1-3, then why do we believe the Gospel?
Chapter 5:Dr. Paul Thorsell kicks off Part Two by helping us to have a clearer understanding of the formulation and affirmations on the doctrine of original sin. He begins by looking to Augustine of Hippo, the individual who is credited with articulating this doctrine originally, then quickly walks through how his understanding has shaped the church's understanding of original sin throughout the ages. While a bit technical, he does well in showing us that this doctrine was accepted by the church historically, although there were slight flavors in their understanding over the years. Additionally, the doctrine is well supported by the Scriptures and do align with Augustine's original understanding. But why is this important and should believers even care whether or not original sin is true? Dr. Thorsell provides a Biblical foundation for how believers should understand the consequences of original sin and why everything is the way that it is.
Chapter 6:In the second of the two chapters on the theological ramifications of the fall, Dr. William Varner discusses how we begin to view the whole of Scripture in Christo-centric, Christ-centered, terms. The argument being made that if Genesis 3:15 does not point to a real, future, supernatural, male who would suffer in his role and utterly defeat Satan, then is there even a reason for our faith? Without this prophetic word from God, does our faith have any correlation with reality or is it, as Schaeffer opined, simply “faith in one’s faith” but not actually based on “verifiable events” (154). Dr. Varner shows the significance of holding to the Messiah prophesied in Gen 3:15 as one who a fulfillment of a very real event which points to a very real hope that is the basis for many of the other Messianic prophecies that come afterwards.
Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez
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These articles usually follow the current Bible Reading plan for Overflow Ministries. If you would like to join the reading plan, simply download the plan here: Overflow Reading Plan
You may follow Overflow Ministries @ https://faithlife.com/overflowtx/activity
or on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/OverflowChurchTX/
****************************************************
These articles usually follow the current Bible Reading plan for Overflow Ministries. If you would like to join the reading plan, simply download the plan here: Overflow Reading Plan
You may follow Overflow Ministries @ https://faithlife.com/overflowtx/activity
or on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/OverflowChurchTX/
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