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bible study I

by Dr. Daniel C. Arichea

The session I have with you is a brief reflection from primarily a biblical point of view on the present task of the church.

As a starting point, I would like to read with you Acts 8:26-39, which is an account of the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. I would like to focus on the answer of the eunuch to Philip's question as to whether the eunuch understood what he was reading: "How can I, unless somebody guides me?" This statement reminds us, that programs set up by the Church in carrying out its present task, should be audience-oriented and people-oriented. We should move away from the institutions and organizations, which the missionaries established in the past which were basically program-oriented and did not have any relevance to the people in a particular context and situation.

If we return to the Bible, we should have a proper understanding and appreciation of what it is and what it can be vis-à-vis the work we want to do in today's world. The Bible is all about actual situations. One does not go to the Bible for the absolute answer; for the theological answer for the solution. The Bible is always situational and those of us who read and make use of it should never lift out a particular situation and try to fit it in our present context. It is quite important that we have a correct view of the Bible; for it is only then that it becomes spontaneous, relevant.

Let me amplify what I mean by dwelling on one particular item like the idea of government, which ta-

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kes a different meaning in different situation.

Situation I – Romans 13 and I Peter

Here we see the Christian church as a Jewish sect and the concept of government as one instituted by and ruled by God. It is the concept of theocracy. God is the ruler; the Prophet is the most important person in the community, divining the will of God, and relaying this to the people.

During Jesus' time, the most prominent idea with regards to government was capsulized in the verse -"Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's and to God what is God's" which means, Ceasar was under God. This concept was inherited by the Christians.

Then Christians found themselves in a different situation – they were under civilian rule/authority. When one reads the passage in Romans 13, one may get the impression that the writer is spelling out a principle for all Christians for all time. But this quite not true. This was a particular situation faced by the Christians at that time. We shall appreciate this more as we look at the context.

The Christians were ready for the second coming, so they prepared for the event. In their eyes, all human institutions including government would end. So at the interim, Christians should obey and not bother themselves with the business of earthly rule. This was also true in the field of economics – there was no time to for economic arrangements. There was no time to change the obtaining conditions. There was only time to preach the pure and simple Gospel, thus the urgent call on verses 11-14. Thus, the orientation and message of the New Testament is eschatological.

Situation II – "Acts l.v.6 "Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

We can interpret this verse to mean: When the end comes, will Israel be the greatest nation? Is the end coming? When is the end?

The Lord's answer to the question was "It is not your business to compute the end." It is not the Christian's business to speculate on the coming of the end. But the Christian has work to do.

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What is the context of the situation in Acts?

The end of the world is not denied, but the end is not imminent. Christians will stay longer on this earth. Are they then to ignore the government? It is apparent that such should not be the case. Christians should involve themselves in government, but on a friendly basis of relationship. Church and government are friends; therefore, the Christians have to write apologetics.

Jesus did not sin against the state. Christianity was established not as a force against the state, but as a friend of the state. The state, therefore, should protect the church.

Situation III – Revelation 13

Here, the government is pictured as a satanic force and the emperor as a monstrous beast.

The book was written for a people who were under persecution by the state, who were faced with enforcement to obey emperor worship. What should the Christians do? They could either deny their faith or go against the state's commands and face the consequences.

Their stand was to oppose the government by a persistent, non-violent opposition.

The question, which was posed, and which they answered was: Is it ever right for Christians to oppose government? The answer was – Yes, when governments take the prerogative of God, i.e. when governments ascribe to themselves absolute authority; when they exist no longer for the common weal. Then Christians have to be involved - to examine, to criticize, to oppose and work for the state's destruction.

As we can see from the following situations, there is no one approach in the Bible on any particular issue/idea/concept, but a variety depending upon the particular context/situation. Therefore, one cannot ask, or one should not ask: What is the Christian approach? Rather the question that should be posited is: In this situation, what can Christians do to be relevant?

If there are no absolutes in the Bible, then what

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is the Bible? In brief, the bible is a model, a record of people who were obedient to their calling, who were relevant, who were effective in carrying out their task in the diverse situations they found themselves in.

bible study II

by: Dr. Hem Khiem Yang

There are different ways of doing Bible study. Your choosing to do it at the end of a long program is not usual, but then it may be meaningful. It may come as a part of the reflection process of what you have done throughout this whole program.

The way I understand my and your role in this Bible study is- that you will do the studying and I will act as a facilitator.

Since the Local Organizing Committee requested me to choose the text of our study, I have chosen a passage from the Old Testament, specifically from Deuteronomy. The book deals with number of laws of old Israel. Perhaps there is little interest in the old, because our concern is with the new, the immediate. But once in a while, it is necessary to transcend our immediate concern and interest by concentrating and putting efforts in understanding the past.

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Laws of Humanity of the People of Israel

These so-called "laws of humanity" of the people of Israel, dated around 700 B.C., are taken from Deuteronomy 24:5-22. The reproduced verses below leave out verses 8 and 9, following the Today's English Version.

*When a man is newly married, he is not to be drafted into military service or any other public duty; he is to be excused from duty for one year, so that he can stay at home and make his wife happy.

*When you lend a man something, you are not to take as security his millstones used for grinding his corn. This would take away the family’s means of preparing food to keep alive.

*Whoever kidnaps a fellow Israelite and makes him his slave, or sells him into slavery is to be put to death. In this way, you will get rid of this evil.

*When you lend a man something, do not go into his house to get the garment he is going to give you as security; wait outside and let him bring it to you himself. If he is a poor man, do not keep it overnight; return it to him each evening, so that he can have it each evening, so that he can have it to sleep in. Then he will be grateful, and the Lord your God will be pleased with you.

*Do not cheat a poor and hired needy servant, whether he is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner living in one of your towns. Each day before sunset, pay him for that day’s work; he needs the money and has counted on getting it. If you do not pay him, he will cry out against you to the Lord, and you will be guilty of sin.

*Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death by crimes committed by their parents; a person is to be put to death only fro a crime he himself has committed.

*Do not deprive foreigners and orphans of their rights; and do not take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God set you free; that is why I have given you this command.

*When you gather your crops and fail to bring in some of the corn you have cut, do not go back for it; it is to be left for the foreigners, orphans and widows. When you have gathered your grapes once, do not go back over the vines a second time, the grapes are left for the for-

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eigners, orphans and widows.

Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command.

Some Background Notes

1. Israel has become a settled nation- a country among countries. There was a time when Israel was no nation at all- an aggrupation of nomadic people. Settling made them change their style of life. Laws came later, during the days of the kings. But around the period when these "laws of humanity" were made, it was the time when the people were getting adjusted to being a permanent country, thus new duties, new rules arise like the duty of national defense. But within these duties, the rights and interests of persons are protected.

Also new classes emerged. The poor were something new. Widows, orphans who were now less protected than in tribal society had to be looked after. What and how were they going to be protected?

The change from nomadic to permanent status in life was a great task for the people. Just like in our own time- it is always difficult to change from then to now. Some of them were able to relate themselves quite well and became rich, successful. But a good number did not- they became poor, maladjusted. The question was- how are these going to be taken care of? How are they going to be protected from the rest?

2) Remember that "Deuteronomy is not a juridical book prepared for the use of the judges, kings, and priests of Israel, whose task was to administer the law. It was written for the community, for the "Church" of Israel, as a whole. It is a preaching, a proclamation and exposition of the faith of the nation, which includes the law as the expression of the will of God who must be obeyed, but in itself is not primarily a law. It is a gospel of the redeeming God who has saved a people from slavery and has bound them to himself in a covenant. He wishes them to know the true source of their security in the land he is giving them. .By this knowledge not only will they be encouraged in the faith, but they will be warned of the consequences of faithlessness and be in possession of the means whereby both prosperity and disaster may be interpreted." (G.E. Wright in The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. li, page 312).