Posted on 10/22/2008 11:05:19 AM PDT by Gamecock
Many visitors have asked me where the new ESV Study Bible comes down on the issue of Covenant theology vs. Dispensationalism. The ESVSB being so broadly eccumenical again gave hesitation because I thought it may not take a stand on this issue. I was wrong again. Eccumenial in this instance, simply means the contributors included Baptists, Presbyterians, Anglicals and Charismatic. But the is it overall most definitely Reformed and quite strikingly covenantal in most places. While the Study Bible (perhaps wisely) does not take a firm stand on any millennial view, it does seem to openly affirm some basics of Covenant Theology rather than Dispensationalism or New Covenant Theology.
Vern S. Poythress wrote the ESVSB introductory article at the front of the Bible entitled Overview of the Bible: A Survey of the History of Salvation. As a committed covenant theologian, this view is clearly articulated here. This is a great article but especially read the subsections entitled, Covenants, Offspring, Christ the Last Adam and Shadows, Prefigures, and “Types”
Read Poythress ESVSB article here in .pdf.
Also in some of the Bible notes it has the same ideas expressed:
Heb 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And a being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The note for Hebrews 5:8-10 says
Heb. 5:8 Although he was a son. See 1:1–14 and 5:5. Jesus, though fully divine, was also fully human. he learned obedience through what he suffered. Though always without sin (4:15; 7:26) and thus always obedient, Jesus nevertheless acquired knowledge and experience by living as a human being (cf. Luke 2:40, 52), and he especially came to know firsthand what it cost to maintain obedience in the midst of suffering (see notes on Heb. 2:9; 2:10; 2:18; 4:15). As Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52), successive temptations were no doubt more difficult to deal with (cf. Luke 4:12), and as he obeyed his Father in the face of each temptation, he “learned obedience,” so that his human moral ability was strengthened.
Heb. 5:9–10 being made perfect. During his childhood, Jesus was not lacking in any godly character quality, but he was lacking in the full experience of having lived a perfect human life, obeying the Father in everything, without sin. The lifelong perfect obedience of Jesus (v. 8; 7:26–28) provides the basis for eternal salvation (2:10; 9:23–28) and for the ultimate “perfection” of those who respond in faith and obedience (10:14; 11:40; 12:23; cf. 7:19; 9:9; 10:1). order of Melchizedek. See 5:6 and ch. 7.
While the terms Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism are never used as far as I can see, the ideas of CT are certainly articulated. It also may be of interest to note that the editors and a large number of the contributors subscribe to covenant theology, but I did notice one or two progressive dispensationalists like D. Bock as well. But the General Editors J.I. Packer and Wayne Grudem are clearly covenant in their outlook. See Grudems essay on The Covenant of Works which will cast aside all doubts where he stands. He is a credo baptist but in all else he is covenantal.
But also note that in very important critical books of the New Testament which touch upon this issues, the authors of the notes are covenantal. For example, the notes for Reveation are done by Dennis Johnson from Westminster Seminary; the notes for Ephesians are by S.M. Bough, also from Westminster, Hebrews by David Chapman from Covenant Seminary etc. Just one big happy family here. While I may not agree with everything in the notes, but overall the Bible has exceeded my expectations.
Didn’t much care for the reading style of the ESV. Still sticking to the NASB or the KJV for my day to day English reading.
All in all though, i really liked the style of the 1952 RSV before the National council of churches perverted it with that abomination called the NRSV. While that bible had it’s faults, it was the best available balance between readability and fidelity to the text.
My very first Bible was a blue leather Scofield reference Bible given to me by someone who had prayed earnestly for my salvation.
My current Bible is... a Blue Leather Scofield reference Bible.
I plan on going home with the girl who took me to the dance.
You know, I think that everyone on the religion forum here has more Bibles of more translations than the average person.
I also think that most of us have at least a few that we never use and that don’t have sentimental meaning for us.
I know that that’s been true of me.
Most evenings, I have the privilege of doing my exercise walking with the head of the “Bible Foundation”, a small non-profit that sends Bible new and “recycled” all over the country and the world and helps others to do it too. Jerry tells me endless stories of how God is enabling him to spread scripture.
Take a look that their web sites:
http://www.bibledrive.org
and
http://www.bf.org
[Can someone make these real links for me?]
I love the details of the chain references. It has a wealth of information. I’m a bit disappointed with the NASB translation. There’s just no pleasing me. :O)
I tried to put one on my PDA but I have a difficult time using and reading it.
I use two; the one for study is a KJ, Dickson Analytical Bible with dictionary and concordance. (They no longer print it. It is dog-eared, held together with super glue and the leather cover was chewed by my dog after I forgot to walk him. I use the Daily Bible by F. LaGard Smith, an NIV chronological bible for daily devotions.
The Dickson I was given when I received the “second blessing” 40 years ago and it has my notes, illuminations, ideas, and prayers over the years in the yellowed margins. I found probably the last hard covered version years back in an old christian bookstore in a poor section of Norfolk Virginia and thought I had won the lottery.
I bought the ESV study Bible in bonded leather. I can’t speak about the other bindings, but this one seems great. The Bible has amazing illustrations, maps, terrific footnotes, etc.
I’m Catholic so I steer clear of the Protestant/latter day interpretive bias in the Bible, but I still thoroughly enjoy the information I find in it. I don’t think you’ll regret buying it. I think the ESVSB is a forshadowing of what the Ignatius Study Bible will be like when finished in two or three years. Supposedly the NT will be ready in 2009.
” I swear, they have no clue about what it is. Except it’s bad. Because it’s slightly younger than covenant theology. So it can’t be right.”
Good comments.
Every day is Halloween when you see so many straw men - scarecrow arguments against God’s “economics” (i.e. dispensationalism).
Perhaps you'd enjoy a post of mine titled Twenty-five stupid reasons for dissing dispensationalism.
Covenantal theology simply doesn’t incorporate all of the time detailed in the Bible. That’s why dispensationalism can incorporate “covenants,” but covenantal theology can never comprehensively cover the range of time viewed in the bible.
You know, I think that everyone on the religion forum here has more Bibles of more translations than the average person.
I actually keep an eye out for off the wall Bible versions at garage sales.
I got, let's see:
Smith and Goodspeed
Berkeley Version
Moffit
Twentieth Century New Testament
Weymouth
New English Version w/ Apocrypha
English Revised Version w/ Wescott and Hort Greek text on facing page
Plus the usual stuff.
I guess you are correct if you mean that CT does not invent gaps (ala Daniel 9) and propose regurgitating past prophecies far into the future (ala resurrecting the Roman empire and rebuilding the temple so it can be knocked down, again).
WHAT?
No Geneva Bible?
They don't tend to show up at garage sales, though a bud of mine here scored a facsimile at a used book store.
Just got my hardcover today. Beautiful. And the online version is, simply, spectacular.
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