The FOUR: A Survey of the Gospels

최근에 읽기 시작한 책 중에 한 부분을 소개하고자 한다. 

Peter J. Leithart가 지은 The Four: A Survey of the Gospels이다. 

제1장 'The New Covenant'를 읽다가 아랫부분을 계속 줄을 그으면서 읽게 되어 여기에 잠시 소개하고자 한다. 아마 계속해서 읽어 나가야 하겠지만, 분명히 "A House for My Name을 처음 읽었을 때처럼 설렘으로 끝까지 읽게 될 것 같다. 'A House for My Name'이 구약성경을 새로운 눈으로(Through New Eyes) 읽게 해 준다면, 이 책은 4복음서를 새로운 눈으로 읽는다. 사실 아직 다 읽지 않았으니까 자세한 설명은 책을 다 읽은 후에 하도록 하겠다.

Today, Christians usually refer to the period between Israel’s return from exile and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as an “intertestamental” period. Like the phrase “Middle Ages,” it is a misleading term. The phrase “Middle Ages” was invented by writers of the Renaissance who believes that the world was in darkness between the end of Rome and the beginning of the Renaissance. They disliked the Christian civilization that developed between 500 and 1400, and spoke of it either as a “dark age” or as an unimportant “middle age.” When we call the period between Malachi and Matthew an “intertestamental” period, we are saying that the period between Malachi and Matthew is not very important.

“Intertestamental” is misleading for another reason. The word “intertestamental” means, literally, “between the testaments.” We call this period by this name because it is the period of time between the writings of the Old Testament and the books that make up New Testament. When we use the word “intertestamental,” we are assuming that the word “testament” refers to a collection of writings. But the Bible never uses the word “testament” is another word for “covenant.” Yahweh’s covenant is the marriage relationship that He enters with human being, especially with Israel, which includes His commitment to bless His people and the demands He places on them. “Testament” of  “covenant” refers to the whole collection of rites, signs, rules, orders, and offices that make up the life of God’s people.

When we understand “testament” in the biblical sense, “intertestamental” is clearly a misleading label. It implies that there is a period between about 500 B. C. and 4 B. C. where the covenant between Yahweh and Israel lapses. If this period is “inter-testamental,” then the history of God’s dealings with the world that starts with Adam suddenly ends with Malachi. The phrase implies that Yahweh is in a covenant with Israel from the time of Abraham to the time of Nehemiah, but then after Nehemiah there are 500 years of blank pages in the story.

That is not what happened. On the contrary, a prophecy late in Daniel shows that the history of this period repeats the history of Israel from the time of the patriarchs to the period of David.

A. A mighty king, Daniel 11:1-4

    B. Egyptian captivity, Daniel 11:5-10

       C. Apostasy and desolation, Daniel 11:21-35 (as in the time of the Judges and 1 Samuel 1-4)

     B'. New Saul, Daniel 11:36-45

A'. New David, Daniel 12:1-3

From another angle, the period that Daniel calls the “latter days” repeats the history of Israel’s monarchy: A united kingdom(Dan. 11:1-3) is divided(11:4), and wars between “Northern” and “Southern” kings follow(11:5-10). After a desolation that results in judgment on the temple(11:31), faithful Jews suffer tribulation(11:33), though they will receive help to endure(11:34). Finally, Michel, another Cyrus, will come to deliver the people from their new exile(12:1-3).

Though often ignored in studies of both the Old and New Testaments, the period between the return from exile and the coming of Jesus is a unique period of redemptive history. It has its own unique features as much as the Mosaic or Davidic periods do. This period begins with a new exodus, the restoration from Babylon. It continues with the re-building of the temple, which repeats both the conquest of the land under Joshua and the building of the temple under Solomon. It involves a new relationship between Israel and the Gentile nations. When she comes from Egypt, Israel is formed as a priestly nation. Yahweh exalts David’s house and makes Israel a monarchy, a nation of kings. With the restoration from Babylon, Israel enters a third phase of history. Nestled among the nations, Israel becomes a prophetic people, called to witness to the world.