133: Session 3 Capstone

BEMA Episode Link: 133: Session 3 Capstone
Episode Length: 44:09
Published Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:00:00 -0700
Session 3
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings hold the usual capstone conversation, concluding a journey through the gospels, and reviewing the story from Genesis to John.

Session 3 Capstone Presentation (PDF)

Bible Book Timeline by Roger Schmidgall

How to Survive a Shipwreck by Jonathan Martin

Transcript for BEMA 133

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 133: Session 3 Capstone - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 133 - Session 3 Capstone
Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Comprehensive review of the biblical narrative from Genesis through the four Gospels

This capstone episode provides a complete review of Session 3, which covered the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The hosts step back to provide a panoramic view of the entire biblical narrative, from Genesis through John, helping listeners understand how all the pieces fit together. The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding the narrative arc of Scripture and how each section contributes to the overall story of God’s partnership with humanity. Marty and Brent walk through the entire biblical timeline, explaining the themes, purposes, and connections between different books and periods, ultimately showing how everything leads to and is fulfilled in the Gospel accounts.

Key Takeaways

Understanding the narrative arc of Scripture is essential for properly interpreting any individual passage or book
The entire biblical story is a confrontation between two kingdoms: Empire (fear, coercion, worldly power) and Shalom (invitation, peace, order from chaos)
Genesis 1-11 establishes the foundational truth that the story is good, which is the root of the Gospel itself
The Torah (first five books) sets the stage by introducing God’s covenant partnership with humanity through rescue, marriage, and mission
The wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs) provides tools to survive during dark and difficult times
The prophets delivered messages of warning, woes, and hope throughout Israel’s decline and exile
The 400 “silent years” between the testaments were crucial for developing the synagogue system and responses to Hellenism
Each Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) was written by specific authors to specific audiences with distinct themes and purposes
Discipleship in the rabbinic sense means following a rabbi 24/7/365, an all-or-nothing commitment that differs from modern church practices
The biblical narrative demonstrates that humans may fail, but faith never does when people keep returning to trust in God’s story

Main Concepts & Theories

The Structure of Scripture

The Preface (Genesis 1-11): These foundational chapters establish that creation is good, sufficient, and trustworthy. This bedrock truth underpins everything that follows and forms the root of the Gospel itself. The preface includes stories of people who fail to trust in the goodness and enoughness of creation, setting up the need for redemption.

The Introduction (Genesis 12-50): The family narratives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph demonstrate that while God’s people are deeply human and prone to failure, their faith doesn’t have to fail. This family “survives a lot of shipwrecks” but keeps returning to trust in God’s story, making them a model for all who follow.

A Tale of Two Kingdoms: The entire biblical narrative is fundamentally a confrontation between Empire and Shalom. Empire represents fear, coercion, force, and worldly power symbolized by an upraised fist. Shalom represents invitation, leading by voice, peace, and bringing order to chaos. This conflict runs through every period of biblical history.

The Torah Pattern

Exodus - Rescue: God rescues His people from the empire of Egypt, demonstrating His power to deliver from oppression and bondage.

Marriage at Sinai: At Mount Sinai, God enters into a covenant marriage with Israel, establishing them as His partner in bringing Shalom to the world.

Tabernacle: The tabernacle serves three purposes: (1) as the honeymoon suite in the marriage metaphor, (2) as a literary retelling of Genesis 1-3, and (3) as the functional workplace for priests.

Leviticus - The Priesthood Manual: God declared Israel would be “a kingdom of priests,” and Leviticus provides the instruction manual for how they should function. It includes laws for atonement, priesthood duties, holy living, and the importance of festivals to remember that the story is good.

Numbers - Desert Honeymoon: The wilderness wandering is framed as a honeymoon period where God and His people get to know each other, learning to trust and understand one another.

Deuteronomy - Remember: Before entering the Promised Land, God calls His people to remember their origins, the exodus, and the desert journey. Remembering their identity as aliens, orphans, and widows will motivate them to care for the alien, orphan, and widow (AOW).

The Promised Land and Kingdom Period

Joshua - Crossroads of the Earth: God strategically places His people at the geographic crossroads of the ancient world, not in isolation but in the midst of where chaos meets Shalom. They are positioned to be a blessing to all nations.

Judges - Redemption Cycle: Rather than a “sin cycle,” this period demonstrates God’s bottomless patience as His people struggle to understand their mission. The cycle shows divine patience, not just human failure.

Ruth - Righteousness Zoomed In: This story demonstrates that not everyone was failing. Ruth (a Moabite), Boaz, and others were following Torah and being righteous, showing that God’s way was working for those who embraced it.

Kings and Chronicles - Two Perspectives: The story of Israel’s monarchy is told from two angles: Samuel/Kings presents the northern kingdom’s perspective focusing on immorality and idolatry, while Chronicles presents Judah’s documentary perspective focusing on the lust for empire and injustice.

Wisdom Literature as Survival Tools

God provides essential resources for surviving dark times:

Psalms: Songs to give voice to every human emotion and experience
Proverbs: Wise sayings that are generally true, nuggets of practical wisdom
Ecclesiastes: Meaning and purpose to get up each morning even when it’s dark
Song of Songs: Intimacy and erotic love (dowd) within marriage, providing deep relational connection

The Prophetic Timeline

Pre-Assyrian Prophets (Warning):

Amos (to Israel): The plumb line and ripe fruit imagery
Hosea (to Israel): The prostitute metaphor showing God’s relationship with His people
Micah (to Judah): The presence of the judge
1 Isaiah (to Judah): The vineyard imagery

Assyrian Period Prophets:

Jonah: Theme of potential - why God doesn’t immediately destroy the wicked
Nahum: Justice will come in God’s timing and wisdom

Pre-Babylonian Prophets:

Zephaniah: Message of Tshuva (repentance/returning)
2 Isaiah: Full of woes, warning of coming judgment

Babylonian Conquest Prophets:

Jeremiah: The weeping prophet
Lamentations: Book of lament with hope at its chiastic center
Habakkuk: Message of the watchtower
Obadiah: Message to Edom about false security in Petra
Joel: The locust plague showing total devastation

Exilic Prophets:

Ezekiel: Message of strength in despair
Daniel: The Son of Man imagery and perseverance
Job: Perspective during suffering (wisdom literature used prophetically)
3 Isaiah: The servant discourse - suffering so future generations won’t have to

Remnant Period Prophets (Returning, Yearning, Learning):

Esther: Purim story - making a difference while staying in Persia
Ezra: The shepherd/pastor model of leadership
Nehemiah: The passionate prophet with hutzpah
Haggai: Time to build, getting priorities right
Zechariah: Introduction to apocalyptic literature
4 Isaiah: Message of hope
Malachi: Q&A discourse concluding the Hebrew Scriptures

The Silent Years (400 years between testaments)

Return to the Text: After exile, the Jewish people concluded they were conquered because they lost the Text and didn’t know Scripture. This led to:

Development of the synagogue system
Comprehensive education system starting at age 5
Scripture memorization as central to Jewish life
The Text becoming the absolute center of community

Five Responses to Hellenism: When Alexander the Great spread Greek culture (Hellenism), five distinct Jewish responses emerged:

Sadducees: Religious/political elite who accommodated Hellenism
Herodians: Political faction supporting Herod’s dynasty and Rome
Essenes: Separatist community in the desert (Dead Sea Scrolls)
Pharisees: Hasidim who sought to preserve Jewish identity through Torah observance
Zealots: Northern militants who violently resisted foreign occupation

The Four Gospels - Distinct Purposes

Matthew - The Mumzer Gospel:

Theme: Caring for outcasts, the marginalized, the alien, orphan, and widow
Author: Jewish tax collector (himself a mumzer/outcast)
Audience: Jewish believers
Purpose: Show Jesus’ concern for those on the margins

Mark - The Roman Gospel:

Theme: Roman-focused presentation
Author: Jewish writer
Audience: Specifically Roman (not Greek) readers
Purpose: Present Jesus to Roman cultural context

Luke - The Gospel of Order:

Theme: Order and potential parashah (Torah portion) companion
Author: Gentile proselyte (Gentile origin, Jewish practice)
Audience: Either Gentile seekers or Jewish synagogue (MD Goulder’s theory)
Purpose: Present an orderly account, possibly for liturgical use

John - The Grafted/Blended Family Gospel:

Theme: Grafted, blended family, Shephelah (where chaos meets Shalom)
Author: Jewish writer
Audience: Greco-Jewish context
Purpose: Bridge Greek and Jewish worlds, showing how Gentiles are grafted into God’s story

Rabbinic Discipleship vs. Modern Church Practices

Marty distinguishes between authentic rabbinic discipleship and contemporary church practices:

Rabbinic Discipleship: Following a rabbi 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year - an all-or-nothing commitment to learning not just what the rabbi knows but how the rabbi lives.

Modern Church Practices (Not True Discipleship but Still Valuable):

Church assimilation: Connecting people to community, getting them serving and leading
Spiritual formation: One hour per week meetings for accountability and growth
Evangelism and conversion: Sharing faith and helping people come to Christ

The point is not to stop these practices but to recognize that something is missing - the intensive, full-life commitment to following that Jesus actually called His disciples to pursue.

Examples & Applications

The Genesis Foundation in Daily Life

The foundational truth of Genesis 1 - that creation is good and enough - directly challenges modern consumer culture. When we trust the goodness and sufficiency of God’s creation, we resist the empire messaging that we need more, better, newer things to be happy. This “root of the Gospel” means starting from abundance rather than scarcity.

The AOW Principle in Community

The emphasis on caring for the alien, orphan, and widow (AOW) throughout Scripture provides a concrete application: when we remember our own experience of being outsiders, vulnerable, or powerless, we’re motivated to care for those currently in those positions. This creates a reciprocal relationship where helping others actually helps us remember our true identity.

Two Kingdoms in Modern Context

The Empire vs. Shalom framework helps us evaluate contemporary issues:

Empire asks: How can we force compliance? Shalom asks: How can we invite participation?
Empire leads with fear and threats. Shalom leads with voice and invitation.
Empire consolidates power. Shalom distributes blessing.

This lens can be applied to everything from parenting to politics to workplace dynamics.

Wisdom Literature for Modern Struggles

The four wisdom books provide a complete toolkit for difficult times:

When you need to express emotion: Psalms give you language
When you need practical guidance: Proverbs offer wisdom
When you’re questioning meaning: Ecclesiastes addresses purpose
When you’re feeling disconnected: Song of Songs celebrates intimacy

Prophetic Patterns in Church History

Understanding the prophetic timeline helps us recognize similar patterns today:

Warning voices are often ignored until crisis comes
God’s patience extends far beyond our expectations
Exile and suffering can be purposeful if we learn from them
Remnants who remain faithful preserve hope for future generations

Gospel Selection for Context

Understanding each Gospel’s distinct audience and purpose helps us choose which Gospel to share in different contexts:

For someone concerned with justice: Matthew’s emphasis on the mumzer
For someone from a power/honor cultural background: Mark’s Roman presentation
For someone seeking systematic understanding: Luke’s orderly account
For someone navigating multiple cultural identities: John’s blended family approach

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

The Concept of Biblical Time: How does the ancient Near Eastern understanding of cyclical and narrative time differ from modern linear time, and how does this affect biblical interpretation?
Empire Theology in Contemporary Context: What modern manifestations of “Empire” exist in church structures, political systems, and cultural norms, and how can communities of faith embody “Shalom” as an alternative?
The Role of Memorization in Spiritual Formation: Given the intensive Scripture memorization in ancient Jewish education, what role should memorization play in contemporary Christian discipleship?
Chiastic Structure in Biblical Literature: How does understanding chiastic literary structure (like in Lamentations) reveal theological emphases that modern readers might miss?
The Silent Years’ Impact on Gospel Context: What specific developments during the 400 silent years most significantly shaped the world Jesus entered, and how do these inform our reading of the Gospels?
Rabbinic Discipleship Models Today: What would authentic rabbinic-style discipleship look like in contemporary contexts? What barriers exist to implementing this model?
The Documentary Hypothesis and Chronicles: How does understanding Chronicles as a “documentary perspective” change our interpretation of the differences between Samuel/Kings and Chronicles?
Apocalyptic Literature Interpretation: What are the keys to properly interpreting apocalyptic literature like Zechariah and Revelation without falling into sensationalism or missing the point?
The Theology of Exile: What theological insights emerge from the exile experience, and how do these apply to contemporary experiences of displacement, marginalization, or spiritual exile?
Gospel Harmonization vs. Gospel Distinction: How do we balance the desire to understand the unified story of Jesus with respecting each Gospel’s distinct purpose, audience, and theological emphasis?
The Parashah Theory of Luke: What are the implications of MD Goulder’s theory that Luke was written as a companion to Torah readings for how we understand the Gospel’s structure and purpose?
Wisdom Literature as Genre: How does understanding wisdom literature as a distinct genre affect interpretation, and what is lost when we read Proverbs or Ecclesiastes as if they were law or prophecy?

Comprehension Questions

Narrative Structure: Explain the difference between the “Preface” (Genesis 1-11), the “Introduction” (Genesis 12-50), and the “Narrative” (Exodus onward). Why is this structural understanding important for biblical interpretation?
Two Kingdoms: What are the key characteristics of “Empire” versus “Shalom” as presented in this episode? Provide examples from the biblical narrative where these two kingdoms are in direct conflict.
Prophetic Timeline: The prophets are organized by historical period (pre-Assyrian, Assyrian period, pre-Babylonian, Babylonian conquest, exilic, and remnant). Choose one prophet from each period and explain their specific message and context.
Gospel Distinctions: Compare and contrast two of the four Gospels. Who wrote each one, to whom were they writing, and what was the distinctive theme or purpose of that Gospel?
Rabbinic Discipleship: According to Marty, how does rabbinic discipleship differ from what is commonly called “discipleship” in contemporary churches? What is his perspective on modern church practices like assimilation and spiritual formation?

Personal Summary

This capstone episode masterfully weaves together the entire biblical narrative from Genesis through John, demonstrating that Scripture is not a random collection of stories but a unified account of God’s partnership with humanity. The framework of Empire versus Shalom provides a coherent lens through which to understand the conflicts and challenges throughout biblical history.

Several key insights emerge from this comprehensive review. First, the foundational truth that “the story is good” from Genesis 1 serves as the bedrock for everything that follows, including the Gospel itself. When we lose sight of creation’s goodness and sufficiency, we lose the plot of the entire biblical narrative. Second, God’s patience is truly bottomless - the “redemption cycle” in Judges is not primarily about human sin but about divine patience as God’s people stumble toward understanding their mission. Third, God equips His people for difficult journeys by providing essential tools like wisdom literature, prophetic voices, and ultimately, multiple Gospel accounts tailored to different audiences.

The distinction between rabbinic discipleship and modern church practices challenges us to consider whether we’re missing something Jesus actually called us to pursue. While church assimilation, spiritual formation, and evangelism are all valuable, they may not capture the intensive, all-encompassing nature of following a rabbi 24/7/365. This doesn’t mean abandoning helpful practices but recognizing what’s absent.

Perhaps most importantly, this review demonstrates that understanding the narrative arc matters deeply. We cannot properly interpret individual passages or books without understanding where they fit in the larger story. The silent years aren’t truly silent - they’re formative, shaping the world Jesus entered through synagogue development and various responses to Hellenism. Each Gospel addresses specific audiences with specific needs, and recognizing these distinctions enriches rather than fragments our understanding of Jesus.

The biblical story invites us into a partnership with God - not a partnership based on human perfection but on faith that keeps returning to trust even after failure. Like the family in Genesis, we may fail, but our faith doesn’t have to. The narrative from Genesis to John is ultimately about God’s relentless pursuit of partnership with humanity for the purpose of bringing Shalom to a world dominated by Empire. Understanding this grand narrative equips us to live faithfully in our own context, knowing we’re part of a story much larger and more beautiful than ourselves.

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S3 133: Session 3 Capstone

Conclusion of Session 3 [44:09]