The First Bible Teachers Issue 80 | 2003 Purchase this issue

ARTICLE TOOLS

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Why Two Books? "All the apostles taught that there were indeed two testaments among the two peoples: but that it was one and the same God who appointed both for the advantage of those people.… who were to believe in God.… [T]he first testament was not given without reason, or to no purpose, or in an accidental sort of manner; but… exhibited a type of heavenly things… and foreshadowed the images of those things which now actually exist in the Church, in order that our faith might be firmly established." Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.32

Garden of Delights. "All who ask receive, those who seek find, and to those who knock it shall be opened. Therefore, let us knock at the beautiful garden of Scripture. It is fragrant, sweet, and blooming with various sounds of spiritual and divinely inspired birds. They sing all around our ears, capture our hearts, comfort the mourners, pacify the angry, and fill us with everlasting joy." John of Damascus, Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.17

Plain Words for the Simple; Depths for the Wise. "The Divine nature intended to teach not only those who were learned in the literature of Greece, but also the rest of mankind. Jesus adapted Himself in order to be understood by the simple multitudes whom He addressed. He sought to win their attention by using language familiar to them. This is so that after their first introduction, they might be easily persuaded to strive after an understanding of the deeper truths hidden in Scripture." Origen, Against Celsus 7.60

Awesome Teachings. "The things [Jesus] explained [to his disciples] require even more consideration than the things which seem to have been simply stated. Those who heard such explanations didn't ask questions, ...