From the Heart of the Church Volume 3 • 2016
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From the Heart of the Church Volume 3 • 2016 School of Christian Studies Howard Payne University Brownwood, Texas From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) From the Heart of the Church Howard Payne University School of Christian Studies EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Thomas Kyle ASSISTANT EDITOR Elizabeth Allen EDITORIAL STAFF Joseph Flanigan Bobby Martinez Ivy Nichols FACULTY ADVISORS Dr. Donnie Auvenshine Dr. Derek Hatch From the Heart of the Church is published annually by the School of Christian Studies of Howard Payne University (Brownwood, Texas). The views expressed Journal’s Editorial Staff. All contents of this Journal are fully protected under copyrightin its pages laws. do not Permission necessarily is reflectgranted those to ofreproduce the University, articles the for School, church or theor classroom use, provided both that clear attribution is given to the author and From the Heart of the Church and that the reproductions are not sold for commercial purposes. For other uses, please contact the Faculty Advisors of the Journal. © 2016 From the Heart of the Church All rights reserved. http://www.hputx.edu/FHC-journal 3 From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) From the Heart of the Church Volume 3• 2016 Table of Contents A Note about this Journal 5 Exegesis of Ezekiel 2:1–10 6 Jessi Jordan Evidence for the Writing of Philippians from Ephesus 22 Thomas Kyle He Descended into Hell 28 Samuel Marich The Communion of Saints 38 Bobby Martinez 4 From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) Why a student journal? The answer to this question is two-fold. First, as any student Acan Noteattest, writing About makes up Thisa great deal Journal of their time. Indeed, it is a crucial competency for consult the relevant sources on the subject, and to present a cogent written argument about the cultivating critical thinking. Many courses ask students to carefully consider a specific topic, to matter. Professors ask students to practice these tasks and to hone these crafts, not only so they can become better writers, but also better thinkers. This journal aims to embrace the importance of this practice. Second, what has become clear in learning about the life of the church is that word care ministry partly involve naming things rightly and speaking carefully and in a nuanced manner is a significant part of Christian ministry. In other words, good pastoral care and good Christian (whether how to read a passage of scripture or how to understand a pressing ethical challenge). This publication takes seriously that, as we aim to follow the one known as “The Word,” the words we read, speak, and write are immensely important. This journal, From the Heart of the Church, is directed by Howard Payne University students in the School of Christian Studies. They have written the essays printed in its pages in a wide variety of courses in the areas of Bible, Biblical Languages, Christian Education, Cross- Cultural Studies, Practical Theology, and Youth Ministry. HPU students constitute the editorial board that selects the printed essays through a blind review process, and they have labored to displayed in these essays, but their authors embody a similarly wide range of vocations (which present the essays in their current form. Additionally, not only is there a wide range of fields will be indicated by the biographical information at the end of each essay). As the title states, this journal proceeds from the heart of the church, with its concern to utilize a distinctly biblical and theological lens to understand people, the contemporary world we inhabit, and the shape of Christian witness. Likewise, these essays are also practical in that they return to the church to inspire readers in further thinking about scripture, theology, and ministry in light of Christ’s love for the world. 5 From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) –10 Jessi Jordan Exegesis of EzekielINTRODUCTION 2:1 Many scholars have debated the meaning behind the text of Ezekiel and the many visions described throughout the book. One particular passage that faces much dispute is Ezekiel 2:1–10. This chapter is often described as Ezekiel’s call to prophesy. The text includes God commanding Ezekiel to prophesy against the Jews before dispelling Ezekiel’s fears and concludes with Ezekiel being commanded to eat the scroll handed to him by God. The New Revised Standard Version translates the passage as follows: He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. And you, O mortal, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house. But you, mortal, hear what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you. I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe (Ezekiel 2:1–10). The background of the book, the context of the chapter, and the language used in this chapter influence the interpretation one assumes concerning the chapter. Each of these aspects should be examined before forming conclusions as to the meaning of the chapter. The first aspect of 6 From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) Ezekiel 2:1–10 that one should consider is the authorship, followed by the situation, purpose, and context. AUTHORSHIP The authorship of the book of Ezekiel was not disputed until 1924.1 Before this time the widely accepted opinion was that the prophet Ezekiel wrote the entire book. However, since that time many scholars have debated the Ezekielian authorship, or at least the extent of Ezekielian authorship in the current form. Gustav Hölscher believed that “Ezekiel himself only delivered the poetic messages of doom, sixteen in all. , covering only 170 verses.”2 3 OtherJ. M. Powis scholars, Smith such wrote as C. that C. Torrey,Ezekiel argued was written that the by bookJewish is leadersa pseudepigraph to teach the and Jews is fictitious. after 4 He theemphasizes, exile and “Thewas writtenBook of overEzekiel a period is not ofthe five father, centuries but the after child, the of Babylonian Judaism.”5 exile.However, the unity of the book causes many scholars to disagree with Hölscher, Torrey, and Smith. The bookchronological is written timeline. completely Because in first of person,these reasons, includes scholars many repeated such as Paul words, P. Enns and followsreject the a strict theory of pseudepigraphical authorship.6 In recent years many biblical scholars have come to believe Ezekiel was written with a similar method to that of Isaiah, having two authors, one being Ezekiel and another following Ezekiel’s methods and continuing the story.7 While this is the popular belief now, in the future more information may be discovered to shift this view yet again. If one accepts Ezekiel as the author of the book, there is much to be said about his person. Ezekiel in Hebrew means “God Strengthens.” He was trained in the priestly order, following the steps of his father. Popular belief says Ezekiel had been well trained in his priestly The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible, Michael D. Coogan, ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 283. 1 2 NancyLamar R.Eugene Bowen, Cooper, “Ezekiel,” Ezekiel in , New American Commentary 17 (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman and Holman, 1994), 32. 3 Ibid., 32–33. The Prophets and Their Times (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1941), 215. 4 J. M. Powis Smith, Ezekiel (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1986), 9–10. 5 Ibid., 216. 6 Paul P. Enns, 7 Bowen, “Ezekiel,” 283–284. 7 From the Heart of the Church Vol. 3 (2016) duties and would have quickly assumed the role as a priest had he not been deported to Babylon. Many psychologists have attempted to analyze Ezekiel based on his book, diagnosing him with extreme paranoia, schizophrenia, narcissism, and masochism. However, attributing such characteristics to him implies that his visions and actions were based on his own attitude and not the dictation of God. According to Daniel Block, such diagnoses are invalid because God was the one telling Ezekiel to act in this manner, not Ezekiel acting out of his own desires.8 Beyond speculation about his personality and mental disorders, Ezekiel was known to be married, based on the story about the death of his wife in Ezekiel 24. Beyond being taken captive from Judah to Babylon in 597 BCE at the same time as King Jehoiachin and settling at Tel Abib, not much is known about the prophet.9 SITZ IM LEBEN setting Theis the Book Babylonian of Ezekiel exile can during be pinpointed the reign to of a Kingvery Nebuchadnezzarspecific time in Jewish of the history.Babylonians.