The Art of Didasko

Note: From time to time, topics which I feel would generally edify the church, and be useful to the defense of the faith will become series on this blog. Today I am writing one of these topics.

A subject that I have spent a good deal of time considering over the past few months has been the union of Christ’s Divinity and Humanity, which is termed the Hypostatic Union. One key text on the topic is Hebrews 1:3 which states,

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

The English word person is translated from ὑπόστασις [hupostasis /hoop·os·tas·is/]¹, which is where we get the term Hypostatic. The Greek word literally means “that which is under/placed under”². Thus has the church defended the doctrine of Christ’s divinity as having the same being or person as God the Father, and Spirit. Arianism arose in the fourth century and was a force to be reckoned with, but the true church stood firm. In my next post we will explore this further.

1. Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G5287). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.

2. Ibid.

While many blogs are about the author, and seemingly the rest are about the author’s interests, this blog strives to strike a different chord. This blog is a teaching platform for a ministry that I hold dear to my heart. That ministry is the edification and uplifiting of the Church of God. In that light, 2010 will be an important year for defining and refining this ministry.

Much of what was written in 2009 served to acclimate my sensibilities and thinking to the mode of communication that blogs require. In addition, the site layout and enhancements are very rudimentary and transitional. One of my chief goals for 2010 is to refine the process of blogging about theology, as well as the accompanying technological requirements. With all this background laid, I want to propose a course of action for 2010.

I am anticipating a watershed of sorts for the coming year if the Lord is willing. For those who are wondering why there has been so little activity over the past few months, please read the correlating post at the Ministry Blog. There are events and projects that are very exciting for me to pursue. I have wonderful opportunities that I pray will be a great blessing to those who read this blog. While these projects near completion, I will continue to post in 2010 on a regular, but spaced-out basis. I wish I could give more details on the things the Lord has allowed me to work on, but you will just have to wait to find out more. In the mean time I am looking to get something published on this site at least weekly.

I appreciate those who have read and commented on this site. May the Lord bless and keep you in this great New Year!

Logos is having a great contest, you should really check out.

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study

In the mean time, look out for new content from this blog and the others as exciting developments are taking place. Talk to you soon.

We have had a most profitable move and I am excited with the possibilities here in our first house. I am learning so much about how God provides for His children and how to trust in Him more fully. It has been allot of work, but it is really paying off. Soon we will be fully moved and ready to go. Look forward over the next few days to new posts before I catch back up with the series we are working to complete.

Over the next few weeks I am moving myself and my family to our first home. This is an exciting time and one that I am looking forward to enjoying and fully engaging. Unfortunately, I am left with the conclusion that the blog must rest during this time. That said, I am looking to relaunch the blogs on Labor day in three weeks. Look forward to hearing from all of you then.

In the past I have given articles that others have presented on the topic of drink and the believer. Over the next few days, I hope to establish what this believer holds to and why I believe that way. Here is some definitional and exegetical material on our word Yayin.
Bible Word Study

יַיִן: wine; drunkenness |       DBL Hebrew

Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon: יַ֫יִן

יַ֫יִן S 3196 TWOT 864 GK 3516 141 n.m. ψ 75:9 wine (NH id.; Ethiopic ወይን (wayn) vitis, vinea, vinum; Arabic وَيْنٌ (waynun) (black) grapes, v. HomZMG 1889, 654; Sab. וין vineyard, MordtZMG 1887, 364 Homl.c.  659 (both after Glaser); Assyrian înu in vocabularies, but this loan-word from western Semites, according to HomAufsätze  102; JenZA i. 186 f., ZMG 1890, 705 argues to the contrary)—abs. יַ֫יִן Gn 9:21 + 84 times; יָ֑יִן Gn 14:18 + 33 times; cstr. יַ֫יִן ψ 60:5 Ct 8:2; יֵין Dt 32:18 + 9 times; sf. יֵינִי Ct 5:1, etc.;—wine: a. common drink, for refreshment Gn 14:18 (E?) 27:25 (J), Ju 19:19 2 S 16:2 Am 5:11; 9:14 Ho 14:8 Jb 1:13,  18 Dn 1:5 +, tonic Pr 31:6; art. of commerce Ez 27:18 Ne 13:15; among supplies in strongholds 2 Ch 11:11; as making merry 2 S 13:28 Zc 9:15; 10:7 Est 1:10 Ec 9:7; 10:19 ψ 104:15. †b. used for rejoicing before י׳ Dt 14:26, cf. Ho 9:4; as drink-offering in prescribed ritual Ex 29:40 Lv 23:13 Nu 15:5,  7,  10; 28:14; among temple stores 1 Ch 9:29;

Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament):  3516 יַיִן
3516 יַיִן (yǎ∙yin): n.masc.; ≡ Str  3196; TWOT  864—1. LN 6.197 wine, i.e., a naturally processed, fermented grape juice, in excess amounts can cause drunkenness (Ge 9:21), see also domain LN  5; 2. LN 88.283-88.288 drunkenness, i.e., the consequence of wine (Ge 9:24; 1Sa 25:37+); 3. LN 6.132 unit: נׄאד יַיִן (nʾḏ yǎ∙yin) wineskin, i.e., a bag or bottle made of leather as a container (Jos 9:4,  13); 4. LN 6.132 unit: נֵבֶל יַיִן (nē∙ḇěl yǎ∙yin) wineskin, i.e., a bag or bottle made of leather as a container (1Sa 1:24; 10:3; 25:18); 5. LN 7.2-7.25 unit: בַּיִת הַ־ יַיִן (bǎ∙yiṯ hǎ- yǎ∙yin) banquet hall, formally, house of wine, i.e., a construction to hold banquets (SS 2:4), note: some interp this as a vineyard area (though not as likely in the editor’s opinion), see domain LN 3.28; 6. LN 6.197 unit: יַיִן הַ־ חֵמָה (yǎ∙yin hǎ- ḥē∙mā(h)) very strong wine, wine causing sickness or possibly alcohol poisoning, formally, wine of wrath (Jer 25:15); 7. LN 88.83-88.92 unit: יָצָא הַ־

Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament: יַיִן

יַיִן const. יֵין, once יַיִן Cant. 8:2; with suff. יֵינִי m.
(1) wine, perhaps so called from bubbling up and fermenting, see יָוַן, unless it be deemed better to regard it as a primitive. (Arab. وَيْنُ collect. clusters becoming black, with the noun of unity وَيْنَةُ, Æth. ወደነ፡ a vineyard, wine, Greek οἶνος, Latin vinum, Armen. գիՆի gini). בֵּית הַיַּיִן house of wine, Cant. 2:4, poet. for בֵּית מִשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן Est. 7:8, convivial room, and the words in the cited place, הֱבִיאַנִי אֶל־בֵּית הַיַּיִן “he brought me to the house of wine,” for he intoxicated me with love, μεθύσκομαι ἔρωτι. Vulg. cella vinaria. Others understand it to mean a vineyard, which in this context would be frigid.
(2) meton. effect of wine, intoxication, Gen. 9:24; 1 Sa. 1:14; 25:37.

A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: יַיִן

יַיִן (ca.  140 ×): יָֽיִן, cs. יָֽין, sf. יַינוֹ, יֵינָֽךָ: wine; occurs in all expected contexts: bread & wine Gn 14:18, wine of Lebanon Ho 14:8; = drunkenness Gn 9:24; in cult 1S 10:3; ḥōmeṣ yayin wine vinegar Nu 6:3.

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition:  3196 יַיִן (yayin)

3196.     יַיִן yayin (406b); from an unused word; wine:— banquet(1), grape(1), wine(136).

The Abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament: יַיִן
יַיִן n.m. wine — wine: a. common drink, for refreshment, tonic; art. of commerce; among supplies in strongholds; as making merry. b. used for rejoicing before ˊי‍; as drink-offering in prescribed ritual; among temple stores; used also in heathen ceremonial. c. intoxicating; forbidden to Nazirites; to Rechabites; to mother of Samson; to priests entering sanctuary; unfitting for kings. d. combinations are: יֵין הַטּוֹב = the best wine; יֵין מְכוּת royal wine; אֹצְרוֹת הַיַּיִן stores of wine, wine-supply; יַיִן הָרֶקַח spiced wine; מִשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן wine-feast; סֹבְאֵי יַיִן wine-bibbers; נֹאד יין wine-skin; נֵבֶל יין id.; בֵּית הַיָּיִן either wine-house, where wine is drunk, feastinghouse, or place of wine = vineyard; (cf. גֶּפֶן יַיִן). e. metaph. of wisdom’s drink; of ˊי‍’s wrath; of confusion sent by ˊי‍, יַיִן תַּרְעֵלָה wine of reeling; of ˊי‍’s awaking for vengeance, like a wine-shouter; of Babylon’s fierce power; of love; in sim. of one bursting with words;

Beginning Biblical Hebrew: יַיִן

יַיִן     wine ( 35)

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament:  864 יַיִן

864     יַיִן (yayin) wine.
Probably a loan word. It has cognates in Indo-European: Greek oinos, Latin vinum, German Wein. It also appears in the Semitic languages, Akkadian īnu, Arabic wayn (meaning “black grapes”), and Ugaritic yn (UT 19: no. 1093). The word is used 140 times, 12 of these in combination with šēkār (KJV “wine and strong drink”; NIV sometimes “wine and beer”). Its intoxicating properties are mentioned at least twenty times. It is mentioned as a common drink, an element in banquets and as the material used in libation offerings. These are called “drink offerings” in KJV, RSV, NIV, etc., but they were not drunk. The related Hebrew verb (nāsak) means “to pour out.” These offerings were poured out on the sacrifices on the brazen altar (Ex 29:40 and 30:9), but in sarcasm the heathen gods are spoken of as eating the food and drinking the drink offerings given them (Deut 32:38).

Yesterday we continued our look at the subject of the imbibing Christian by presenting those who favor at least a moderationist position. Today’s post will consist of those who take a less favorable view of the subject.

• Here John MacArthur argues for the abstentionist view.
• Of course, David Cloud is against drinking. he deals with a pastor’s questions in this article.
• Cederville University stands against all alcohol usage, but provides allot of information from both sides here.
• A man with many friends on the other side of the issue promotes a total abstinence position (without legislation or obligation) to his congregation.
• Jim Davis provides a practical look at the drinking issue.

Of course you can view my previous discussions here and here.

I do not think that yesterday’s post fully exhausted the subject, but I hope that it provoked thought. Everyone has their opinion on the subject, but there is really allot to be learned. Much has been said on the subject of wine and the believer, and I have compiled what I believe are some of the best references on the subject.  Today’s list will encompass the “pro-drinking” (I am pretty sure most of them would shrink at that description) consortium.

Mark Driscoll preaching the way that made him so popular!

In a fairly balanced article, Got Questions examines the issue.

Daniel Wallace brings out some salient points and addresses key linguistic aspects of the issue.

Brother Bob presents a positive review of the book God Gave Wine by Kenneth Gentry. The comments get heated.

The aforementioned pastor writes on the fruit of the vine.

Here are some secular takes on the subject.

Tomorrow we will post the opposition’s counterpoints.

Brother Brandenberg of “What is Truth” fame is coralling an interesting topic. The debate over alcohol for Christians has raged for ages. This particular one was fueled by Sharper Iron here, and Bro. Brandenberg reacts here, here, and here. Happy reading to you.

I think you have it here. The only mention of the one side seems to be intended to mock, not inform.

Now, I don’t know that I agree with the Creation Museum’s positions, but this type of reporting only serves to drive the wedge further between both sides.