I spent most of my life in a church tradition that had little if any appreciation for the creeds of Christendom.  I really have never sought an explanation for this and perhaps there isn’t one aside from “all we need is the Bible.”  If this is the explanation to be presented, presently I find it woefully unsatisfying.  For recently, one of my favorite and most emotional times in our worship on Sundays is the recitation of a creed.  I am not completely certain why, but I am deeply impacted by the realization that others have died reciting these words.  The bond of the church transcends time through many means.  The creeds are just one way that we are reassured that we are one body in Christ.  So as I recite the Apostle’s Creed standing next to my wife and children in our community of faith, we are joined through the words to those before us who too affirmed their faith by reciting the same.  The creeds, for me, serve to affirm the unity of the church throughout history centered on one faith, one Christ.

The racing season is about to begin.  No, not the series that begins its season at Daytona…I am talking about the series that finds its roots forty-plus years earlier.  Open-wheel racing.  Racing that is actually interesting to watch (of course if you are into that).  Having spent many sunny (and rainy) afternoons at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the St. Pete Grand Prix is a little taste of home here in Florida.  I have been to the SPGP race or the qualifying days prior every year since the IRL began racing the streets of Downtown St. Pete.  It is a great event!  Last year they added the ALMS to the lineup on Saturday.I wish the ALMS would team up with the IRL on all their roadcourse/streetcourse events because the show in both series is incredible.  The best feature of the St. Pete Grand Prix is its family friendly atmosphere.  The first year was a bit rough for a family outing, but the following years have been excellent for the entire family.  Some, I’m sure are not as happy about the alcohol policy, but I am sick of paying good money to attend sporting events that exhibit bad bad fan behavior (mostly b/c of excessive alcohol consumption) in front of my boys.  The entire weekend has attractions for all ages.  Last year my son hung out in the PS3 trailer while I watched some racing.  We were also able to walk around to several locations around the race course to watch the action.  Finally, the best thing about the SPGP. While at the event, I am always reminded that I have less than two months until I make the trip “Back Home Again in Indiana” to see the Indy 500.  

My church offers an event called “gospel and film” night. A film is chosen to view, then after watching the film, we discuss the characters and themes of the film. Particularly we try to focus on how the features of the film reflect theology or give us a bridge to discuss the gospel to those in our community. We recently watched the classic film Lawrence of Arabia (Horizon Pictures, 1962). The film, situated in WW I, is about the historical character T. E. Lawrence. Lawrence is a British officer in the middle east who lead the Arab people against the Turks and in doing so guarded the British flank as they marched to Damascus. The film revealed the complexity of T. E. Lawrence as he vacillates between the British and Arab people. Throughout the film Lawrence spent the majority of his time with the Arab people, seemingly desiring to be one of them. However, this is complicated by the fact that he is not an Arab and has obligations to the British army. T. E. Lawrence returns “home” to Britain, and yet he desired in many ways to be with the Arabs.

At this point some may be thinking, “what could this possibly have to do with the gospel?” Some observations about T. E. Lawrence might help. Laurence began his experience in Arabia as a British officer, in dress and protocol. However, he embraced the culture of the Arab people: fought beside them, dressed like them, lived with them. However, an experience in a Turkish prison reminded him that he was never going to be one of them. He would always be different no matter how much he tried to fit in with them. Lawrence’s experience is sometimes similar to the Christian journey. We become a follower of Jesus (British officer?) but along the journey we try to become something else (in Laurence’s case, an Arab). Sometimes we go great distances and put forth extraneous effort to become something that we can never be. Through this detour, we realize who we really are: a child of the King. Lawrence returned home as a British officer who understood he would never be an Arab. We too take detours in our journey, but once we follow Jesus, we are always a part of his kingdom . . . even when we endeavor cover it with another’s Jalabiyyah.

My papa, Merrill Abell, left this world January 2007. He was 94 years old and had pretty good health until his final couple weeks. He married my mama in 1935 and remained with her until her passing in 2000. He attended the same church, First Baptist Church of Greenwood Indiana since 1935. I was privilaged to have a papa such as him and was asked to say a few words at his funeral. The following is how I remember him, and what I valued about him most.

I sure you will hear today many of the great events that Papa enjoyed with us as his grandchildren. I have those great memories too. I would like to tell you about the traits of Papa that I want to pass along to my children who because of distance and timing will never know him as we knew him.

The first trait is that he was a hard worker. As a young person, I would go with Papa to prepare wood for his various projects. He would push through to get a project done when I was ready to take a break. As a hard worker he took work seriously. I worked for Uncle Don in his machine shop while in high school. Papa would show up at the shop and before he was in the door, the safety glasses were on and steel chips were flying, because we knew he wanted whoever was working to do a good job and do it diligently.

The second trait of Papa was his sense of humor. He was always up to a good joke on someone or to get us when we least expected it. There were countless times that he would sneak up behind us during a scary TV show or movie and scare us in his living room. He would then retreat to his easy chair to laugh. Some of the jokes he played on others and that were played on him are legendary in our family. He used that humor to keep everyday issues of life in perspective.

Both of these traits are just some of the person Papa was to us and who we loved. However what made these traits and others significant is only seen in light of the final trait.

Papa was a man who lived the gospel out in his life. He had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ repenting of his sins before God and accepting Christ’s work on the cross, the only thing that can restore fellowship with God. He not only accepted the truth claims of the gospel, but he understood in his own way that accepting the gospel demanded living the gospel. He lived it in how he treated people, how he worked, how he loved.

I never heard Papa claim a life verse from the Bible, as that was not his style, but I want to assign on to him today that I believe could be his life verse by the way he lived.

Colossians 3:12-15
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us together in perfect harmony.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

I love you Papa, I will see you later.

Today our family welcomed Madeline Alane Abell to our family. After two boys delivered to our home, God has graced us with a daughter. I have become comfortable with boys. I’m not saying that I have mastered them nor figured out the best way to mentor them. I am saying seven years of experience has yielded some lessons learned. Some complacency? maybe. Comfort, definitely.

As I hold Madeline, I have so many questions. What is it going to be like having two women in our house? In what ways do I mentor a daughter that is different than mentoring sons? Will I treat my daughter the same as I treat my sons? Will I be fair? What is fair when your children are boys AND girls? We haven’t even approached the dating questions!!

As I contemplate these and so many other questions less than twelve hours after her birth, I can only acknowledge two things. First, Madeline is truly a gift from my Lord that He has placed in our care for a few short years. We now have to the honor to introduce her to our Lord: His love, His grace, His mercy. How does this introduction happen in the context of parent and child? By parenting Madeline like God parents us: with His love, His grace, His mercy. As imperfect as it seems, it is in this imperfection we can teach love, grace, and mercy. It is the gospel that empowers us to live in a way for all our children see God and what He has done for us.

The brings me to my second acknowledgment: While parenting a girl at this point in her young life seems like a daunting task, I am encouraged by one simple fact: God parents us. Man, woman, child, God chooses to parent his children consistantly demonstrating the same elements to His sons and His daughters: grace, love, and mercy. Therefore, if I am to parent, even in my imperfectness, as God parents me, then mentoring seems to be the same whether son or daughter: Point them to Christ and what he has done and doing in my life. If I illustrate God’s parenting work in me to my children through the parenting them in His grace, His love, His mercy: I illustrate the Gospel lived out. Lord, help me to do it…

Wisdom literature of Scriptures to the ancient Israelite was a vehicle to take real issues of life and sort them to find meaningful synthesis. This wisdom literature had (has) something for everyone from every walk of life. Bullock describes the practicality of wisdom as it “encompasses the struggle of the righteous man to understand his suffering and the limp efforts of a lazy man to overcome his sloth.” Wisdom reaches into every aspect of an individual’s life. We can find insight regarding family issues: parent-child relationships (Prov. 13:22,24; 22:6; 1:8-9; 15:5), marital issues (Prov. 12:4; 19:14; 31:10-31), and warnings against sexual sins (Prov. 5:1-14). Just as our personal life does not end with the family, the path of wisdom literature extends into other aspect of one’s personal life. These insights move past the family dynamic into social behavior resulting in, as Bullock concludes, “a stable and productive community.” “Moral virtues such as self-discipline (10:17; 13:13), temperate speech (10:19; 11:12), and honesty (15:27; 16:11) and vices such as slander (10:18; 19:5), envy (23:17-18), and gluttony (23:1-3), are subjects of wisdom’s regulatory function.” The personal wisdom extends further into social life by giving direction for social hierarchy, subjects relationship to their king (25:6-7), the king’s relationship to his subjects (14:28; 25:4-5).
While the above describe a horizontal personal relationships, there are many examples of admonitions to the reader regarding their vertical relationship as well. The authors of wisdom literature had a keen awareness of God’s sovereign will and His guidance in the live of those that belonged to Him (16:9; 19:21). Bullock describes the notion of the wisdom-controlled life as “the fear of the Lord.” This “fear of the Lord” could be understood as a personal attitude of disposition toward the Lord as one might fear a king (Prov. 24:21-22). Second, “the fear of the Lord” could be understood as moral virtue or appropriate behavior (Job 1:1; Prov. 8:13). Third, “the fear of the Lord” could be understood as knowledge of human frailty contrasted with the divine strength (Prov. 3:5-7). Bullock concludes that, “it would not be inaccurate to say that comprehensively the fear of the Lord is a world view that attempts to synthesize the elements of human life and work. It is an educational standard that gives balance to the individual as he relates both to his world and God.”
Wisdom as a Universal Dynamic
The author introduces Proverbs 8:22-31 (wisdom) as a personification of a divine attribute. Much like one notes that life emanates from God, so wisdom also. God revealed Himself to Israel through many modes (Law, Prophets…), wisdom literature is another way of revealing His wisdom (attribute) to man. Wisdom as a revelation of God gave rational to the world, according to Bullock, imparting understanding to mankind.
“While redemptive history is not a conscious rubric of wisdom literature in the Bible, the sovereign control of God in the universe nevertheless lies behind the literature, and this inevitable involves history, for God is the originator of the dynamic force that moves history and nature (Job 9:4; 11:6; 12:13; 32:8)” , states Bullock. The universalness of wisdom literature reveals the wisdom of God and gives us as reader/responders access to it just as other literature of Scripture gives us access to other attributes of God.
Wisdom of a Literary Dynamic
Although there are only three books of the Old Testament considered wisdom (Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), wisdom genre is found in many other books of the Old Testament. We can find, according to Bullock, six different types of wisdom genre in the Old Testament: proverb, riddle, allegory, dialog, autobiographical narrative, and prophetic address. A proverb is “short pithy, its effectiveness depending in partly upon the concise, witty manner of expressing an idea or truth” (Prov. 22:1). A riddle was a method used to “disguise an idea so that hearers might be confused or challenged to search for its meaning” (such as Samson in Judg. 14:14). An example of an allegory is found in Ecc. 12:1-7, a device using one thing to describe another. The book of Job typifies a dialog, where it is most prominent. The autobiographical narrative technique is used in Ecc. 1:12-2:16 in which the narrator relates his own personal experience. The prophetic address is used twice in Proverbs (1:20-33; 8:1-36), where the Proverb is foretelling an event.
Another dimension on wisdom literature is that it is addressed to individuals not society in general. With this in mind, national concerns are not usually in the front of the writer’s mind. Not that the authors were not concerned with history, but their pursuit for instruction is more philosophical that historical. With individuals in mind, wisdom has specific references to youth and the upper class (Proverbs). While Job crosses “social and cultural boundaries to deal with timeless issues” accord to Bullock. Ecclesiastes notes “social oppression of that age”. Wisdom literature was not limited to any one sect of society, from the practical nature of the Proverbs we can determine that these are timeless truths for all classes and social tiers of people.

Cited Source: Bullock, C. Hassel. An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books

I have been reading Dissident Discipleship by David Augsburger (Brazos Press, 2006). When I first selected this for my summer reading, I did so reluctantly thinking “just what the world needs ANOTHER discipleship book!” However, as I began to read last night, I was pleasantly surprised. Augsburger tackles the issue of following Christ from a moderate Anabaptist perspective. He begins with the broad idea of spirituality and proceeds to gently move to a genuine Christian worldview. To bring us to understanding of true spirituality in the sense of the gospel, Augsburger illustrates spirituality as monopolar, bipolar, and tripolar. He asserts that, “The emerging vision of spirituality in the twenty-first century is largely monopolar and exclusively subjective. It is centered in the spiritual nature of the person, in the person s essential humanity and core humanness. This monopolar dimension is universal to all humans and necessary to their humanity.” Augsburger defines Monopolar Spirituality as “the inner, subjective encounter with ones own inner universal self, with essential humaness that is reverent toward the uniqueness of the spiritual core that is universally present in all human beings. When respected, honored, expressed clearly, and realized more completely, it blossoms into the private inner experience of sacredness without sacred place, ritual, or tradition—of religiousness without formal religion.” Bipolar Spirituality “is both an inner, subjective experience of coming to know one’s true self and an objective experience of existence before God. It is the spirituality of a subjective, reflective life lived before the Transcendent, a life in search of and in compliance with the Divine.” Finally Tripolar Spirituality “possesses three dimensions: it is inwardly directed, upwardly compliant, and outwardly committed. The spirituality of personal transformation (the inner journey), the experience of divine encounter (the God-ward journey) and the relation of integrity and solidarity with the neighbor (the co-human journey with friend and enemy, with neighbor and persecutor) cannot be divided.”

Augsburger places these views of spirituality on a continum with modified views between each. He claims that Christidom has primarily found its place from 1.5 (modified Monopolar) to 2.5 (modified Bipolar) on the continum. He explains, “The position at 1.5 relates the self to a mirroring god who reflects the individual hopes, understandings, and often pretensions of the self. The mirroring god may indeed be an extension of the self as one prays to a being created in one’s own image. Type 2 recognizes a God who is Other and who makes divine demands that shape our lives. The benevolent-self position at 2.5 sees neighbor love as a desirable response of gratitude but not as essential to lived spirituality.”

I have just begun the journey through this book, but I believe Augsburger is fairly correct in his assertions at least based on my experience. While Christian community experiences are lived out differently everywhere, the focus in my realm was clearly in the Bipolar spirituality. My early teen and young adult church exposure was assimilation of truth to do “battle” with the enemy without much realization that the gospel had secured the victory.

In 1692, a dark chapter of early American history began in New England. Residents of Salem Massachusetts and the surrounding communities were being accused and convicted of witchcraft based on the words of two girls of nine and eleven in the towns. On June 10, 1692, Bridget Bishop was the first of many to be hanged for practicing witchcraft. Over the following five months nineteen more would die by the rope of the gallows on evidence that was both intangible and spectral. Only two of the twenty confessed to witchcraft and that, believed by many, to delay their execution.
Historians and citizens of the United States have speculated on where the mantle of blame is to be laid for these injustices to humanity. Some have looked to the Puritan religion and its ties to the community and government, claiming that the influence of religion on the community government was to blame for the injustice done to these individuals. Others look to blame the system in which the colonials lived. Special magistrates and community courts allowed evidence based on intangibles and spectral resources that would never be allowed in courts today. Many have laid this incredible tragedy at the feet of two men, father and son, Increase and Cotton Mather. Both Increase and Cotton served in a religious capacity in the vicinity of Salem. Both were very much against witchcraft and for the punishment of practicing it, but did the preaching and writings of these men condemn, what is now believed, innocent men and women to an early grave? Many writings still remain from both father and son to piece together the answer to this question.
One cannot dispute that Increase Mather had some effect of the witch trials of New England, but the proper way to find to truth about Increase Mather’s involvement is to look to his own words, and look at the historical involvement of Increase Mather upon these proceedings.
Increase Mather was a prolific Puritan writer of his time. He was very involved in government and was very prominent in his community. In fact, May 14, 1692, the year of the trials, he accompanied the new governor from England to America along with a new charter. Increase was a man who was very involved in the community in which he lived. Increase Mather certainly had strong political connections. However he was also a deeply religious man and pursued religious aspirations as well. Politics and religion in 1692 Puritan New England were never too far apart. Increase wrote many works during his lifetime about supernatural and spectacular events. In 1681 and 1682, he wrote two works, Heavens Alarm to the World and The Voice of God in Signal Providences. These works reflected the sentiment of this time period: that the judgment of God was upon the Puritan New Englanders. Williams notes, “In Heavens alarm, Mather’s primary interpretive concern is to identify clearly the message he sees as inherent within the comet’ presence for the spiritual edification of the Boston Puritans. His rhetoric is highly emotive as he interprets the meaning of the heavenly sign [of the 1682 comet] as a precursor of impending doom.” Eight years prior to the witch trials Increase had already completed a work on the supernatural, specifically addressing witchcraft. This book entitled, An Essay for recording of Illustrious Providences would be blamed for much of the hype that surrounded the trials. Many accuse Increase Mather of predisposing the residents to fear about witchcraft in this work. In chapter five of the book, Increase documents a story of a “bewitched” boy that is bewitched and is remarkably close to the onset of the Salem trials. Mather writes, “The boy was violently thrown to and fro…All this while the Devil is not use to appear in any visible shape, only they would think they had hold of the hand that sometimes scratched them; but it would give them the slip…Neither were there many Words spoken by Satan all this time, only once having put out their light, they heard a scraping on the boards, and then a Piping and Drumming on them, which was followed with a voice, singing Revenge! Revenge! Sweet is Revenge!”
Based on these three writings alone, the evidence would seem to be mounting in favor of those who criticize Increase Mather in contributing to the guilty verdicts of the witch trials. However, Mather believed that supernatural happenings are just as much from God to show His glory and from Satan to show his earthly power. He concludes, “I shall not suspect all those as guilty of witchcraft, not yet of heresy, who call the received opinion about Witches into question. There are four or five English Writers and another anonymous Author; who do with great vehemence affirm that never any did maintain that familiarity with the evil Spirits, which is commonly believed. True it is, that many things have been looked upon as proceeding from witchcraft, when it has not been so” Clearly, Increase Mather warns against a rush to judgment concerning spiritual events and their classification as witchcraft. In this work, Increase also wrote against the common day practice of testing people to see if they were witches. The accusers would tie up the accused and cast them into a water hole, such as a river or a pond. If the accused floated, they were considered to be in collusion with Satan, on the other hand, if they sank, they were cleared of the charges of witchcraft. Increase responds, “This practice has no foundation in nature, nor in scripture, if the water will bear none but witches, this must need proceed either from some natural or some supernatural cause. No natural cause is or can be assigned why the bodies of such persons should swim rather than any other. The bodies of witches have not lost their natural properties, they have weight in them as well as others. Moral changes and viciousness of mind, make no alteration as to these natural properties which are inseparable from the body.” Clearly Increase Mather was against these superstitious practices and regarded such activity reckless. However such practices were regularly employed on suspected witches during 1692 in Salem.
Mather spoke out in opposition of improper practices against accused witches before the trials of 1692, and also during the trials. It was during the trials that he wrote a work titled Cases of Conscience. This work details the guidelines under which a person should be considered a “sick person” or a person of witchcraft. The preface of this book is signed by fourteen ministers which in part reads, “So Odious and Abominable is the name of a witch, to the civilized, much more the religious part of mankind, that it is apt to grow up into a scandal for any, so much as to enter son sober cautions against the over hasty suspecting, or too precipitant judging of persons on this account. But certainly, the more execrable the crime is, the more critical care is to be used in the exposing of names, liberties, and lives of men (especially of a Godly Conversation) to the imputation of it” Throughout the book, Increase makes a logical argument from scripture against the use of spectral evidence. He writes, “It is an awful thing which the Lord has done to convince some amongst us of their Error: This then I declare and testifies that to take away the life of any one, merely because a spectre or Devil, in a bewitched or possessed person does accuse them, will bring the guilt of innocent blood on the land, where such a thing shall be done: mercy forbid that it should, (and I trust that as it has not it never will be so) in New-England. What does such an evidence amount unto more than this: either such an one did afflict such an one, or the Devil in his likeness, or his eyes were bewitched.
It is clear that Increase Mather did not approve of the procedures being used to indict and ultimately prosecute the witch trial victims. What is his solution if not intangible and spectral evidence? He clearly asserts in Cases of Conscience, “What is sufficient Proof? … 1. That a free and voluntary Confession of the Crime made by the Person suspected and accused after Examination, is a sufficient Ground’ of Conviction. Indeed, if Persons are Distracted, or under the power of Phrenetick Melancholy that alters the Case; but the jurors that examine them, and their Neighbors that know them, may easily determine that case; or if confession be extorted, the evidence is not so clear and convective; but if any persons out of remorse of conscience, or from a touch of God on their spirits, confess and shew their Deeds, as the converted magicians in Ephesus did … nothing can be more clear.”
Mather cannot shoulder the blame for the witch trials in New England. Although he spoke out harshly against the practice of witchcraft as being evil and punishable, he also spoke out for fairness and the use of tangible evidence to convict those accused of witchcraft. If Increase Mather had nothing to do with perpetuating these injustices on the innocent, what role did his son, Cotton Mather, have in the Salem trials?
About the same time as his father published his book, Illustrious Providences, Cotton Mather published his own book on witchcraft, Memorable Providences. This book was devoted entirely to witchcraft and is claimed by many to have been a fuel source for the Witch trials. In his book, Cotton describes an incident in which he expels spirits from a young boy. However, he wrote many times against the use of spectral evidence and even when asked to report on the trials (Wonders of the Invisible World), he wrote with a prejudice against the trials. In a letter to John Richards, a member of the court overseeing the trials, Cotton wrote, “I must humbly beg you that in the management of the again in your most worthy hands, you do not lay more stress upon pure specter testimony than it will bear. When you are satisfied or have a good plain legal evidence that the demons which molest our poor neighbors do indeed represent such and such people to the sufferers, tho’ this be a presumption, yet I suppose you will not reckon it a conviction that the people so represented are witches to be immediately exterminated.” Also in a letter dated August 17, 1692 to John Foster, Cotton writes, “I do still think that when there is no further evidence against a person but only this, that a specter in their shape does afflict a neighbor, that evidence is not enough to convict the [word missing] of witchcraft.” These two letters seem to exonerate Cotton of the accusations of involvement in the witch trials. Cotton Mather’s diary also reflects the thoughts of a man not comfortable with the proceedings at Salem. On May 14 Cotton writes, “For my own part, I way always afraid of proceeding to convict and condemn any person, as a confederate with afflicting demons, upon so feeble as Evidence, as a spectral Representation.”
The Mathers were not responsible for the tragic year of 1692 in Salem Massachusetts that claimed twenty lives. They were plainly and explicitly against the practice of witchcraft just as most all clergy were of their day. Being against the practice, they spoke out. They both preached against the evils, seen and unseen, as was their vocation by God. Those that accuse them of not exercising their duty in the community by speaking publicly in defense of the accused have chosen not to see the facts history presents them. The Mathers wrote publicly and privately against the manner in which the citizens of Salem were convicted. Both Mathers spoke to community leaders: Increase Mather to Governor Phipps, Cotton Mather to John Richards, regarding to the trials in the form of private letters and personal conversations. The Mathers filled no official capacity at the trials nor did they even attend the majority of the proceedings. They should carry no more blame than all the other citizens of New England for the continuance of the witch trials on dubious accusations. The Community of New England is responsible collectively for the atrocity of justice at Salem that dreadful year of 1692, not Increase Mather or his son Cotton Mather.
The lives of the Mathers can be an important reminder in our present culture that things are not always as they appear.

Interest in the topic of YHWH’s role as King began during my second year of Th.M. studies. The biblical text suggests that YHWH desired the Israelites to view Him as their King. Consequently, He dealt with them in a fashion much as a king would deal with his subjects. The kingship of YHWH seemed to alleviate some tension that I have always felt when reading about God’s reaction to the request by Israel for a king (I Samuel 8:6-9). God responded to Samuel’s concern by reminding him that, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (I Sam. 8:7). It was after this time that the nation of Israel became theocracy. If Israel rejected YHWH as king, as is claimed in I Samuel 8:7, then it would appear that they must have recognized YHWH as fulfilling the role of a king. Patrick Miller, in his book The Divine Warrior in Early Israel, asserts, “It has long been thought that the kingship of Yahweh originated out of the Jerusalem cultus, but that view is no longer tenable and in the light of extra-biblical material should have been suspect from the beginning. It is precisely in the early poetry of Israel that we see the kingship of Yahweh asserted (for example, Ex. 15:18; Deut. 33:5; Ps. 68:25; Num. 23:21; Ps. 29:10; Ps. 24:9). Yahweh’s sovereignty is established by his victories over the enemies of Israel. He who defeats the foe claims dominion. The conception of the kingship of God is therefore from the beginning fully wrapped up in the early representations of the divine warrior. It is not possible to talk of God as king without talking of God as warrior.”
Israel viewed YHWH as the source of leadership and power prior to Saul. Israel displayed recognition of this leadership and power through the Exodus from Egypt (Ex. 4:29-31; 12:21-28), crossing the sea of reeds with the Egyptian army in pursuit (Ex. 14:10-30), confirmation of the Sinai covenant (Ex. Ex. 19:8, 24:3-8), waiting at the doors of their tents for God’s instruction (Ex. 33:10-11), reaffirmation of the covenant (Ex. 34:32), construction of the tabernacle (Ex. 35-40), participation in the census of the fighting men (Num. 1), participation in cult activities (Lev.). However, little attention is given to how God displayed His leadership and power. While YHWH revealed himself as the supreme deity that defeated the gods of Egypt, it seems that He used the metaphor of kingship to display His leadership and power. One might ask, how early in pre-monarchial Israel did YHWH reveal himself as king? One condition of YHWH’s kingship in pre-monarchal Israel is the war camp motif as is seen in the book of Numbers. In Numbers YHWH begins to shape Israel into a war camp in which he occupies the position of the King. The presence of the war camp throughout Numbers is evidenced by the analogous elements utilized in neighboring Egypt. One may observe war camp imagery in the taking of the census (1:3), the camp arrangement (2:3-31), the relative position of YHWH’s space to army (2:2), banners (2:2), trumpet calls (10:1-10).
The second indication of YHWH’s role as king over Israel is evident in how he delegates responsibility and commands worship. A third indication of kingship is also evident in how YHWH puts down challenges to His authority in Numbers 16-18.

Thielman’s chapter titled Grace in place of grace: Jesus Christ and the Mosaic Law in John’s Gospel in his book, The Law and the New Testament (Herder & Herder, 1999) is very informative when considering the relationship of Jesus to the Mosaic Law He was so often accused of having disregarded. A casual reader of the Gospel of John could mistake Jesus’ approach to the Law as less than zealous. However, this notion is dispelled with the help of Thielman. His proposal is simple: Jesus came to fulfill and replace the Law of Moses, not to disrespect and dispose of it. It is with this fulfillment and replacement motif in mind that John could the phrase “grace in place of grace” charin anti Charitos. The Jews want nothing to do with Jesus’ interpretation of the Mosaic Law that is the context of all the arguments with Him. The prologue only introduces the reader to concepts found fully revealed later in the Gospel. Thielman outlines three steps in discovering the meaning of “grace in place of grace”.
First, he observes the two great legal controversies that faced Jesus: His attitude toward the Sabbath and His claim of equality with God. Beginning in chapter 5 of John, Jesus begins interacting with the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath and its importance in light of other Laws. The Pharisees charge Jesus on two counts: doing work (healing) and influencing others to disobey the Sabbath (”take up your mat”). Later in chapter 8, Jesus heightens the anger of the Pharisees against Him by claiming equality with God (vs. 12ff). Jesus’ defense on both counts is simple. He asserts in both chapters 5 and 9 that the Jews search the Scriptures to find eternal life in them and set their hope on Moses. They fail to realize the role of the Law as a witness to someone (Jesus) beyond itself and thereby making Moses (who no longer intercedes for them) to become their accuser. Further, in His defense, Jesus levels two other charges against the Jews concerning the Mosaic Law. The Jews violated the sixth commandment when they attempted to kill Him (7:19-24). The hypocrisy of the Jews is also unmasked when they judge the crowd for choosing Jesus or their understanding of the Law and belittles them for it (7:49). Immediately after this exchange, Nicodemus, one who allegedly understands the Law makes an appeal to Law that is not found. Thielman claims the interaction between Jesus and the Jews and Pharisees in chapters 5-10 reveals that Jesus stands above the Law as its termination and fulfillment.
Second, he examines the ways in which Jesus’ person and teaching replace the Law. Thielman introduces the reader to how Jesus’ sign at the wedding at Cana is a replacement of the Jewish purification rituals. This sign is immediately followed by the claim of Jesus’ body being a replacement for the Temple. Thielman is excellent in taking the reader through the three pilgrimage festivals prescribed in the Mosaic Law (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Booths) showing Jesus’ interaction with them as well as His fulfillment of them. Finally Jesus “replaces”, according the Thielman, the Mosaic Law with a new commandment of His own
Last, Thielman applies two aspects revealed in John’s approach to the Law to his statement in 1:16-17. When returning to the phrase “grace in place of grace” Thielman claims that John recognizes the Law’s positive relationship to Jesus as well as the fact that Jesus, because of the revelation He brought with Him, supercedes the Law. Jesus never claimed the Mosaic Law was graceless. “The Mosaic Law was characterized by grace; but its measure of grace pales in comparison with what has become available with the appearance of Jesus Christ. Believers, John claims, have drunk deeply from the fullness of the incarnate Word and, in doing do, have replaced the grace of the law with the true grace of Jesus Christ.”
Many of Thielman’s arguments are valid and well made. He has interacted with scripture very well and given a good synopsis of Jesus’ position contrasted with the Jews/Pharisees. However, as one reads his argument, this reader cannot see a “termination” as he claims. A fuller understanding maybe, a pointing to something bigger than the Law, definitely. Also, as one reads the word “termination”, he can’t help but think of Matthew 5:17 in which Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Even though this passage obviously is not found in John, the direct words of Jesus must be addressed when using words such as “termination.” One is right in asserting that the grace of the law is replaced with the grace found in Jesus Christ. This does not necessarily eliminate or terminate the Law, aspects of this Law are in place today, the application is only different. The Law can still point to Jesus Christ in retrospect. While the grace of the Law can be defined as “terminated” because of an upgrade to “grace 2.0″, the Law remains as a signpost to Jesus Christ.