Bob’s Comments (group member since Jan 26, 2012)

Bob’s comments from the G.K. Beale's "A New Testament Biblical Theology" -- 2012 Reading Group group.

I finally finished my review of the book. Has anyone else in the group reviewed it? Here is a link to my review:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I don't agree that the book is a super long defense of amillennial theology. It is much more than that. He shows how eschatology shapes theology from a NT perspective. I think his work is quite persuasive and he is sufficiently nuanced and tentative in some of his assertions, where warranted. His inaugarated eschatology could mesh with historic premil thought fairly nicely in many respects too. But as for a continued hard-and-fast separation between Israel and the church, as put forth by classical and revised dispensationalists, I do think his book puts the nail in the coffin of that view. Progressive dispensationalists, New covenant theology, historical covenant theology, and Beale's own view (somewhere between the last two positions), unite in opposing this classic dispensational credo. I think the weight of Scripture is with them and against the former dispensational view.

I finished the book (finally) on Feb. 10. Getting ready to write my review.

Anyone have some last thoughts on the book? I know Craig finished it a few months before me. Did everyone else finish it?

Same here, getting ready to preach on this... I'm way behind on the reading schedule--just finished the section on resurrection ( pt 3)

I'm way off the pace, but hope to pick the book back up soon.

thanks for posting this, I'm going to listen to it - I hadn't seen it.

And yes, I get the impression that he is trying to be thorough and covering all his bases (like he's been burned in the past or something - or he is used to dealing with fundy type criticism or something)

Craig wrote: "I am on track but how is everyone else keeping up? Do we need to take a week off from moving to the next two chapters (11&12) so people can catch up?

Everyone chime in."

I could use a week off....

:-)

I still have to catch up on my reading a bit. Looking forward to catching up soon (if I can). I'll have some time off from work (and some wee hours in the morning) with the soon arrival of our little one, so maybe I can catch up then.

Totally agree, Craig.

I just posted an excerpt a couple days back from both Beale's Temple and the Church's Mission and from A NT Biblical Theology on this topic. What do you all think of his insights into John 4 and John 7? The discussion is from chapter 5.

Link to my post: http://www.fundamentallyreformed.com/...

Hamilton is historic premil, though, I believe. Did you ever listen to the "evening of eschatology" that Bethelehem Baptist sponsored? Sam Storms (amil), Jim Hamilton (historic premil) and Doug Wilson (postmil)? It was really good and thought provoking.

I believe he is amil so the tribulation is happening simultaneous to the millennium happening. But there is an escalated period of tribulation happening at the end of the church age prior to Christ's return and the establishment of the eternal kingdom (not millennium).

I really liked chapter 7. I thought the point about the "tribulations of Messiah" in Col. 1:24 was good and then the tie-in with Rev. 12 / Rom. 16 and Gen. 3 tied the chapter up nicely. I don't know that I ever thought of it this way, that Jesus suffered "great tribulation" and that we share in his sufferings by experiencing the inaugurated "great tribulation" now. It's very thought provoking and fits with his thesis well.

Here is our tentative reading calendar:

Dates      -      Chapters      -      Pages

2/5 - 2/11    -    ch. 1-2    -    pp. 1 - 87

2/12 - 2/18    -    ch. 3-4    -    pp. 88 - 128

2/19 - 2/25    -    ch. 5-6    -    pp. 129 - 184

2/26 - 3/3    -    ch. 7-8    -    pp. 185 - 248

3/4 - 3/10    -    ch. 9-10    -    pp. 249 - 316

3/11 - 3/17    -    ch. 11-12    -    pp. 317 - 380

3/18 - 3/24    -    ch. 13-14    -    pp. 381 - 465

3/25 - 3/31    -    ch. 15-16    -    pp. 466 - 555

4/1 - 4/7    -    ch. 17-18    -    pp. 556 - 613

4/8 - 4/14    -    ch. 19-20    -    pp. 614 - 703

4/15 - 4/21    -    ch. 21-22    -    pp. 704 - 772

4/22 - 4/28    -    ch. 23-24    -    pp. 773 - 832

4/29 - 5/5    -    ch. 25-26    -    pp. 833 - 884

5/6 - 5/12    -    ch. 27-28    -    pp. 885 - 962

I saw Junior's comment on Beale's treatment of antichrist in 1 John and that pushed me to catch up on the reading. I finished the chapters and am really excited about all the ground we've already covered... with so much to go.

Anyone else have any thoughts on his discussion of the antichrist -- plural and singular, Danielic background, John's already/not yet fulfillment of this in his time?

Anyone else see this?

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts...

It's a touch ahead of our schedule, but an interesting preview of chapter 7.

2 a week is good, but I'm a week behind now! Life gets busy. Maybe we can reevaluate where we all are in another week.

Junior,

I felt that he was more tentative in positing chaos in Gen. 1. He didn't give us his full discussion of that. I am in agreement with chaos being tied to judgment in the later iterations of his cycle -- which I see as very helpful. But I'm somewhat ambivalent about chaos in Gen. 1 or not. He doesn't need it for his cycle, but Gen. 1:2 is talking about something weird, and chaos as a thematic idea is appealing, but I'm not settled on it.

Great point to bring up for discussion.

Thanks.

I'm behind too! Just finished chapter 2! But I plan on getting caught up this week, if I can.

Cool, Tim. Small world. Beale will be helpful for where you are, I think. He sticks to the text but shows connections between OT and NT that will blow your mind.