From Watergate to Benghazi, the question has been asked, “What did the President know and when did he know it?” The same question might legitimately be asked in our studies of the Scriptures, though for very different reasons. We have the benefit of reading the Bible from the perspective of God’s complete revelation to His people in Christ, and we are often tempted to read back into various passages knowledge that the writers, readers, and hearers of those passages could not have possessed. This can color our interpretation, as often happens, for instance, when we expect the Bible to address issues raised by modern science.
The study of Biblical Theology reflects the recognition that God’s unfolding of His truth in history has been gradual. The New Testament writers knew more than their predecessors the prophets, who knew more than Moses, who knew more than the patriarchs, who knew more than Noah, who knew more than Adam. The study of Scripture is greatly enriched by putting God’s revelation into its proper chronological context. Teachings in the Old Testament, in particular, are clarified greatly if we realize how much (or how little) the people of that day understood about God and His promises. In this course, we will be moving chronologically through the Bible and looking at the gradual unfolding of divine revelation concerning God’s nature and God’s plan. Hopefully this will make us more faithful interpreters of the ancient document that is God’s Word as it continues to speak to us today.
This adult Sunday School course is taught by Pastor Bob Walton. It will meet every Sunday from January to March 2015 in the Main Sanctuary and will run from 9:45am-10:45am.