Mail Call - 13

27 July, 2020

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana

It has been quite a while since you last heard from me.  At lot has happened in the time since mail service was restored.  I'll send a nice long update soon, but I just wanted everyone to know things are fine.

We're moving to Iowa.  I've been assigned as vicar at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hampton.  My start date is August 18, so we're packing the truck on the 6th and heading out on the 7th.

The next year will be very busy.  I'll preach at least 25 sermons, teach Bible studies and catechism class, and plenty more.  My intention is to regularly update everyone as the year progresses.

Mail Call - 12

7 Feb., 2019

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Winter Quarter, 2018-2019


29 Sept. 2018 - 1 Feb. 2019

Apparently mail service to and from northeast Indian are really slow.

Actually, that is true.  It seems that the USPS isn't very efficient this side of the Mississippi.  Then again, nothing is.

So it has been too long since I have written anything here.  And I'm not ashamed to admit I realized that because of a message in email that a comment noted that some images are not working.  I fix them when I find them, when I can.  But the pictures are just extra, the real meat of this blog is the stuff I write.

Which I haven't done a lot of in the last four months.  But, in my defense, this has been a busy four months.  And I realize that a weekly or biweekly posting is untenable at this juncture.  Maybe once a month.  Or if my posts are much shorter, which is doable too.  The reason is pretty simple: one quarter ended and my family journeyed back home for the Thanksgiving holiday, then back to the Seminary where both Homiletics and Hebrew dominated my time.  Among other classes, like some very challenging Gospels exegetical papers.  And not because the text was difficult, but the professor is a stickler for quality and a self-described tough grader.

The "big deal" this quarter is Homiletics, which includes writing three sermons.  One was video recorded, one will be just a manuscript, and one will be delivered in class.  That one is also the first sermon I will give in church, on 17 March at my field work church.  Which, honestly, will be less nerve-wracking than speaking it in class.  Yeah, I'm weird like that.

On top of all that the first years were assigned to lead chapel services.  I was assigned 15 January, a simple service of Prayer and Preaching, which meant I didn't have to worry about chanting.  But it was during Symposia week, so the chapel was packed.  If you want, you can watch it here.  You'll have to search a little bit to find the right day.  Maybe you'll even see me look up from where I'm sitting, hoping to see my family, only to see President Matthew Harrison.

Yep.  Not nervous at all.  No idea what you're talking about.  (Afterward I did get to speak with Harrison, and he said I did a good job.)

Otherwise, things keep plugging away.  I'll try to not disappear for so long again.

The Baptism of Christ (Matthew 3)

Among the assignments this last quarter I wrote an exegetical paper on the Baptism of Christ.  It wasn't too difficult, just had to translate the original text, read through three (or more) commentaries, and figure out what is happening.

Just the translating alone revealed a lot, and the more I do, the more I wonder what the translators for the various "alphabet soup Bibles" are thinking.  Matt. 3:9 is a good example of that.

It is equally frustrating how far too many think (incorrectly) that Matthew is a copy of Mark, instead of just accepting that, first, similarities of style does not automatically mean "copy," and second, that Matthew references places and events that demand the writing occur before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

The false idea that baptism, even Christ's baptism, is an act of obedience is equally incorrect.  Using the "logic" and "reason" of some theologians who think this would lead to having Christ as an inferior being to God the Father.  Oh, the heresies that were born of that faulty notion.  Adoptionism, Arianism, Monarchianism, Nestorianism, Sabelianism (aka: Modalism), even Pelagianism.

Read through it.  Let me know what you think.





For those who are interested, I've included the list of resources I used.  Some of these resources (like the lexicon) were really useful and good, while others (like Luz's work) was hit and miss.

Bibliography:

Danker, Frederick W, Walter Bauer, and William F Arndt. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3Rd ed. ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Engelbrecht, Edward, and Paul E Deterding, eds. The Lutheran Study Bible : English Standard Version. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2015.

George, Augustin. Baptism in the New Testament : A Symposium. Baltimore: Helicon, 1964.

Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Matthew 1:1-11:1. Concordia Commentary. St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia Publishing House, 2006.

Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Matthew 11:2-20:34. Concordia Commentary. St. Louis. Mo.: Concordia Pub. House, 2010.

Nestle, Eberhard, Erwin Nestle, and Universität Münster. Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung. Novum Testamentum Graece. Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Karavidopoulos Iōan. D, Carlo Maria Martini, Bruce M Metzger, and Holger Strutwolf. 28. Revidierte Auflage = ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012.

Luz, Ulrich, James E Crouch, and Helmut Koester. Matthew 1-7 : A Commentary. [Rev. ed.]. ed. Hermeneia--A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007.

Mays, James Luther, Harper & Row, Publishers, and Society of Biblical Literature. Harper's Bible Commentary. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.

Scaer, David P. Discourses in Matthew : Jesus Teaches the Church. Saint Louis: Concordia Pub. House, 2004.

Voelz, James W. Fundamental Greek Grammar. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 1993.

White, R. E. O, Stanley E Porter, and Anthony R Cross. Baptism, the New Testament, and the Church: Historical and Contemporary Studies in Honour of R.e.o. White. Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Supplement Series, 171. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999.

Mail Call - 11

11 Nov, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fall Quarter, 2018-2019


29 Sept. - 9 Nov. 2018

Apparently mail service is slow here at boot camp.

Okay, so its actually more a case of 1) I've been forgetting to keep up with this stuff, even after saying I will, and 2) there's been more "immediate" issues, like writing papers and studying for tests.

But, now, the first quarter is over.  All tests are done.  All papers are graded and back.

Stuff has been busy.  And it will only get more so.  Hebrew and Homiletics are coming up next quarter, among others, but those are the most apparently daunting.

I'm really not sure what to expect for some of the classes coming up.  But I'm also not worried.

Hebrew will be, like any language class, its own squirrelly challenge, but I'm taking it in Winter and Spring quarters instead of the 7-week sprint in Summer because it will be easier to chew on for me.  I've had a little Hebrew exposure already, so like Greek I'm not jumping in blind.  And what little I got to do clicked pretty quickly.

Homiletics is how to give sermons, primarily.  So I'll get to learn how to stand up in front of a group and teach a coherent lesson.  Sounds pretty similar to stuff I've done before.  Just going to learn new styles and methods.

Confessions sounds pretty straight forward, being a study of the Book of Concord.  I will admit, with a bit of shame, that I haven't cracked into that book enough in the last few years.  Not because it isn't good, or I wasn't dedicating time to independent study, but I wasn't focusing on that corner of theology.

One class I'm not sure what to expect is "Confessing Christ in Today's World."  It sounds a bit like a history class on one hand, while also sounding like "mission work."

As always, there is the "Field Education" class, though most of what we are doing this next quarter is reading "The Hammer of God" by Bo Giertz.  I haven't read it yet, but heard a lot of good things.

I'll be getting to be more involved in my field work church next quarter as well.  And at chapel.  Having completed Liturgics, I'm now allowed to lead services.  Just the "prayer services" like Matins and Vespers, since there is no Confession and Absolution or Communion.  So at some point, possibly as early as Advent, I'll lead chapel service on campus.  I'll be assisting the pastor at church as well, which means reading the lessons and helping with distribution of Communion.

We'll be back in Nebraska over the break, but since the quarter starts the last Monday of the month, we won't be home for Thanksgiving.  Got to have enough time to get back with the whole crew and have sufficient sleep before classes start.  (Though that doesn't bother me, since I'm not so enamored with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.)

I can't promise I'll be timely with these Mail Call posts, but I intend to be on time with writing on the lectionary.  Since we're going through the 3-Year Lectionary in Greek Readings, I'll be switching to that.  I might not be posting all the readings, but since I'll be translating the Gospel reading each week, I will try to write primarily on them.  And I'll post papers, snippets of readings and writings, and other interesting things that happens.

Just this quarter we had visiting speakers from South Sudan and Latvia.  It is humbling to hear about the Church abroad, both in terms of their struggles and how they, in a way, are better than us in America.  In Latvia the Lutheran Church is the largest denomination, but there are only around 100 pastors for nearly 300 churches.  They are strong, but stretched thin.  In South Sudan, like in much of Africa, the dangers of war and persecution means the church lives in, essentially, exile.  Close to half the congregations are in refugee camps, and few dedicated church buildings exist at all.  But in both nations the Gospel is being proclaimed with boldness.

It is simultaneously humbling and encouraging.

Song of Simeon (Liturgics 1 paper)

It has been a while since I posted anything from the Seminary, and there will be a "Mail Call" soon.  But until then, here's a copy of a newsletter assignment from Liturgics class.  We each selected a portion of the Divine Service to write on, as if we were writing an article for the church newsletter teaching about our selection.   I chose the nunc dimittis, the Song of Simeon.

---

The Nunc Dimittis, also known as the “Song of Simeon” holds an interesting place in our worship services.

Traditionally the Nunc Dimittis was sung as part of the evening prayer services of Vespers and Compline and for the funeral service.  The use of this song as a post-communion canticle is a uniquely Lutheran practice, though one with a clear purpose.

The title of the canticle comes from two words in the first line from the Latin version: “now depart.”  Its use in end-of-day service and at funerals seems quite obvious, requesting a peaceful departure.

The song is recorded in the second chapter of Luke, when Christ is brought to the temple for circumcision.  There a man named Simeon, who is a mystery other than what is recorded in this encounter, is waiting for Him.  We do not know who Simeon is, where he came from, or what his station in life had been.  All that is known for certain is that God revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died.  The common assumption is that he was an older man, perhaps even elderly like Anna, who is also mentioned in the account.  An obscure tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church considers Simeon to be one of the translators of the Old Testament, who was told of the Messiah while he was translating Isaiah chapter 7.  Or perhaps he was a younger man, who would not only prophecy about what the Christ would do, but would live to see it.  The Scriptures are silent on the identity of Simeon.

What is clear are his words: “Now release Your servant in peace, master, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the presence of all the peoples, a light for revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”  (Luke 2:29-32, translation mine)

He had been waiting, serving, faithfully with the unseen hope of the Messiah.  Having now seen Him, even as an infant, Simeon was ready for whatever the Lord had for him next.  He knew that this Child, the Light of the World, who would reveal God to all the nations, was the glory of God now returned to the temple.

Simeon’s song of departure, of willing dismissal from service to God, is perfectly at home in end-of-day and end-of-life services.  Much like Luther’s evening prayer, the Nunc Dimitis asks God for a peaceful departure from our labors, having been satisfied in God’s protection and providence.

Simeon’s song is such a complete confession of faith in God’s promised Messiah that his song is used in all five settings of the Divine Service in the Lutheran Service Book, though Setting Five does note the two included alternate canticles, hymn numbers 937 and 938.

Having been invited to partake in the wedding banquet on this side of eternity, and having seen His majesty, we conclude with a simple and joyful request for God to, by His will, send us on our way.  It is for these reason that the song is fitting for the end of the Service of the Sacrament.

Greek Readings notes: Mark 10:2-16

Since I had a lot of fun translating the text for last week's Greek Readings lesson, I though I'd share the worksheet so y'all can see what I looks like, and to share some of my thoughts.

The worksheet has some questions, usually about the grammar, for each verse.  I simply copy the sheet, add the Greek, and translate it there, answering the questions as applicable.  Most of them that I didn't keep here were just grammar questions, though I did keep the parsing in each verse.

Mark 10:2-16

2 - Καὶ προσελθόντες Aorist Participle Active Nominative Masculine Plural Φαρισαῖοι ἐπηρώτων Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτὸν εἰ ἔξεστιν Present Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἀνδρὶ γυναῖκα ἀπολῦσαι Aorist Infinitive Active πειράζοντες Present Ptc Active Nominative Masculine Plural αὐτόν.
And they, the Pharisees, came up to Him in order to test Him and began to question Him if is is right (proper) for a man to divorce a wife.

3 - ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς Aorist Participle Passive Nominative Masculine Singular εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τί ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Aorist Indicative Middle 3rd Singular Μωϋσῆς;
And He answered them: what did Moses command you?
By "Moses," Jesus undoubtedly meant what? (see BDAG 663-664): The Law given at Sinai, the Torah 

4 - οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Ἐπέτρεψεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular Μωϋσῆς βιβλίον ἀποστασίου γράψαι Aorist Infinitive Active καὶ ἀπολῦσαι Aorist Infinitive Active
And they said: Moses permitted (him) to write a document of divorce and send (her) away.
 Matthew uses δοῦναι instead. What nuance does Mark emphasize with the use of ἐπιτρέπω (see BDAG, 384-385, 243.13)?  This is “give” in more of “acquiescence” or allowing though in mild protest.  What sense does βιβλίον convey here? (see BDAG, 176)  It was a legal document.

5 - ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πρὸς τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν Accusative Feminine Singular ὑμῶν ἔγραψεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singluar ὑμῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην·
But Jesus said to them: in accordance with the hardness of your heart he wrote you this commandment.
What case is πρός?  Accusative  How is it best translated (see BDAG 875 3.e)?  “In accordance with”

6 - ἀπὸ δὲ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular αὐτούς·
But from (the) beginning of creation male and female God made them.
With what case is ἀπὸ used in this verse?  Genitive  What is the meaning of ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ? (see BDAG 135) "male and female"

7 - ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει Future Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα [καὶ προσκολληθήσεται Future Indicative Passive 3rd Singular πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ,]
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and join (stick) to his wife],
Look up προσκολληθήσεται (see BDAG, 881). What does its voice and meaning demonstrate about this type of union? Be faithfully devoted to, as in being wholly devoted and joined.

8 - καὶ ἔσονται Future Indicative Active (Deponent) 3rd Plural οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν· ὥστε οὐκέτι εἰσὶν Present Indicative Active 3rd Plural δύο ἀλλὰ μία σάρξ·
And the two shall be (exist) in one flesh, so that no longer are they two but one person (children).
What is the case, number, gender of σάρξ?  Nominative Singular Feminine The word σάρξ has multiple meanings. Which one is best here? (see BDAG, 915 2.a)  Person, body (implied: children).

9 - ὃ οὖν ὁ θεὸς συνέζευξεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἄνθρωπος μὴ χωριζέτω Present Imperative Active 3rd Singular.
Therefore what God has yoked (joined, brought) together let no one separate.
What is the root συνέζευξεν (see BDAG, 954) of and its suffix?  συν + ζευγνυμι ("connect, join") > ζευγος (yoke, team, pair) > ζυγος (yoke, scales) = yoke, balance scales (~ zygote)  How does that inform our understanding of marriage?  Partnership, Children  Function of χωριζέτω especially considering the μὴ? (see Voelz, 201)  Emphatic negation.

10 - Καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν πάλιν οἱ μαθηταὶ περὶ τούτου ἐπηρώτων Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτόν.
And in the house again the disciples began questioning Him about this.

11 - καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ γαμήσῃ ἄλλην μοιχᾶται Present Indicative Middle 3rd Singular ἐπ’ αὐτήν,
And He said to them: whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her
ὅς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ . . . γαμήσῃ . . . μοιχᾶται is equivalent to what type of conditional clause? (see Voelz, 181-183 and 248-251)  ~ Present General  What does this tell us about the nature of marriage?  It is meant to be permanent in this life.

12 - καὶ ἐὰν αὐτὴ ἀπολύσασα Aorist Participle Active Nominative Feminine Singular τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς γαμήσῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular  ἄλλον μοιχᾶται.
And if she divorces her husband and marries another she commits adultery.
ἔαν . . . γαμήσῃ . . . μοιχᾶται is equivalent to what type of conditional clause? (see Voelz, 248–250)  Future more Vivid

13 - Καὶ προσέφερον Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτῷ παιδία ἵνα αὐτῶν ἅψηται Aorist Subjunctive Middle 3rd Singular· οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἐπετίμησαν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτοῖς.
And they were bringing to Him children in order that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them

14 - ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἠγανάκτησεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία Accusative Neuter Plural ἔρχεσθαι πρός με, μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά, τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
But when Jesus saw this He was indignant and said to them: allow the little children to come to Me, do not hinder them for such as these is the kingdom of God
What are the possible meanings of παιδία? (see BDAG, 749)  Young child (younger than 13).

15 - ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὃς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular εἰς αὐτήν.
Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child, they will not enter it
With εἰσέλθῃ, what sort of grammatical construction is formed here? (see Voelz, 177)  Emphatic denial.

16 - καὶ ἐναγκαλισάμενος  Aorist Participle Middle Nominative Masculine Singular αὐτὰ κατευλόγει Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Singular τιθεὶς  Present Participle Active Nominative Masculine Singular τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ’ αὐτά.
And He took them and began blessing them, laying His hands on them

Translating verse 9, in particular, was quite fun.  You can see that in the answer notes.  The root of the word "yoked," συνέζευξεν (sunezeuxen), is ζευγνυμι (zeugnumi) plus the prefix συν (sun).  [Long "oo" sound for the "U," and a "you" sound for the "EU"]  The meaning of the root is "connect, or join."  It is related to the word ζευγος (zeugos) meaning "yoke, team, pair."  This is the "pair of oxen" that would pull a cart or plow as a team.  The word yoke, ζυγος (zugos)  also can mean "scales," as in a balance for measuring things as equal.   If zugos sound familiar, that's because it is the origins of the word "zygote."  So when Christ says "so that no longer are they two but one person" (ὥστε οὐκέτι εἰσὶν δύο ἀλλὰ μία σάρξ) He quite literally meant children.  The word "person" in verse 8 is σάρξ (sarx), usually translated as body or flesh (like "sarcophagus").  But rendering it as "person" is similar to the "royal we."  Husband and wife are implied to be a single entity, emotionally, legally, spiritually, and ultimately physically.

Mail Call - 10

28 Sept., 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fall Quarter, 2018-2019


16-28 Sept. 2018

Seminary field work assignments were given out on the 24th.  I was placed at Emmaus Lutheran Church and School in Fort Wayne.

Yay.

Work will start off slow, mostly observation initially, then some assisting with readings and such, especially once Liturgics is finished.  So keeping my shoes polished will be a must, and finding a long-sleeved clerical shirt, since it's starting to cool off here.

It might sound like a broken record, but stuff is moving fast.  We just finished week four, out of ten in the quarter.  In the next two to three weeks I have a couple exams, a couple papers, a few quizzes, and reciting the stanzas of the Advent hymn "Savior of the Nations, Come."  And the weekly Gospel pericope translation from the Greek.  So much fun.

I've gotten to meet a USAF reserve chaplain and find out more about the process.  I've gotten to listen to a student of Herman Sasse talk about this most recent theological powerhouse.  And as this post is published, there is a conference on Lutheranism and Classical Philosophy happening with a number of "big names" often heard on Issues, Etc., like Dr. Angus Menuge.  We actually went and listened to his presentation as part of Dogmatics class, and got some good stuff.  A few weeks from now I'm even participating in a satirical theological disputation.  All that's missing is getting to sit at the lunch table with Pres. Harrison.

And we're not even half way through the first quarter.

---

Here's a few quotes from Dr. Menuge's presentation that I thought were worth chewing on (and what I could get written down as I was frantically listened):

• "Paradox is fine if truth is paradoxical."
• "The paradox of the God-man answers the paradox of Man, who cannot be what he ought be."
• "Luther's critique of the limitations of unaided reason and his openness to higher input of God's word are surprisingly rational."

Mail Call - 9

18 Sept., 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fall Quarter, 2018-2019


8-15 Sept. 2018

First paper done.  Things are going well.  Nothing has gotten too overwhelming yet.  There is a lot of reading, but the required portion of it isn't unmanageable.

I had signed up for leading the discussions for the second week of Gospels, realizing then that this meant the first exegetical paper was due the same time.  Which was good, since it forced me to dive head first into "real" work.  It was an interesting nut to crack, and the mental block of "writing a paper" was the harder part.  Not that the deciphering of the Greek or hunting and comprehending the resources wasn't difficult, because they were.  But getting the ball rolling was the first hurdle.  Once it got going, things went pretty fast.  Translating the Greek took a while, and was probably the longest portion of the paper, both in time working and number of pages when done.

The portion of Matthew I had was on the Baptism of Christ.  The paper was to be 7-10 pages long, and I ended with 6 pages just on Greek, both translation and discussion on the text.  The end result was an 11 page paper.  Not quite as daunting as the 25-page exegetical expected in the "Interpretation of Pauline Epistles" class at CUNE, but it has been a long time since that paper, so it was a challenge to shift my mindset back into academic writing.

The big news is that on Monday, 24 Sept., we will be assigned to our field work church.  The whole class, all 43 of us, will be in Sihler auditorium for this assigning.  From what we were told, it sounds like a theological version of draft-day.  After being assigned, we'll have lunch with our supervisors, so that we can get to know the church we'll be working at and what our supervisor will be expecting of us.

Things are moving fast, and its going to be a blast.

Mail Call - 8

11 Sept., 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fall Quarter, 2018-2019


4-7 Sept. 2018

4th: First day of class, and of the 173 academic year.  At least that's what we were told at the opening service.  And class picture.  Which meant being outside, in 90º heat, in a full suit.  Oh well.

The day started with Gospels I, which for myself was a bit of a review.  Having a background in theology, that shouldn't be a surprise.  We basically had a brief primer on exegetical theology.  And found out that there are two exegetical papers due.

Afternoon was Dogmatics I.  Again, it was a bit of a primer, this time on the nature of theology.  This will be a more technical class, being systematics.  And there's a paper on a theological topic, ranging from the interesting to the controversial.

5th: Church History I was very full.  Like "almost the entire First Year class" full.  We're going to need a different room.  Oh well.  It will be a fun class (at least in my opinion).  And it is early Church, starting with the last word of Acts, more or less.  So not just the dates and places and names, but the mindset of the people who lived the events that founded the Church.  This is family lineage we're learning.

Liturgics I, though, might be the most hands-on class this quarter.  And that might make it the most scary.  Chanting and prayers, for one, and knowing that this is training specifically so that I can stand up in front of a congregation and be "under the microscope" to a degree.

6th: Thursdays in Gospels I is the "breakout" sessions, with each small group's instructor.  In some ways it is lab, in some ways it is observation.  We read the text and discussed it, fairly thoroughly.

7th: First Greek readings, and proof that its a small world.  My instructor attended Seward back in the day, though he did (somewhat jokingly) admit that he didn't like me as much since I didn't take Hebrew.  But it was a good discussion, connecting Mark 7 with various portions of Isaiah.

That evening there was a "meet-n-greet" with my mentor and the other mentees.  All in all, a pretty good experience.

First week is finished, now on to finish an exegetical paper (due on the 13th), a worksheet on the next pericope, and a rubric on prayer.

Mail Call - 7

3 Sept., 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
New Student Orientation, 2018-2019


28 Aug. - 2 Sept. 2018

Orientation is completed, and classes start tomorrow.  But, to be fair, orientation was a bit redundant at times.

It wasn't that any of the information was bad, but having already done an orientation at the start of Summer Greek, this second all-day orientation wasn't needed.  Nothing new was really learned, though we did get to spend some time together as an entire class.  So I guess that's good.  As is the "active shooter" discussion.  Well, to a degree.  I've done these before, and have already been doing stuff to increase my situational awareness and use the OODA loop.  But still good to hear the public safety office say "escape or defend yourself, don't hide."

Less useful was the financial discussion.  Again, not because the info wasn't good, but that it was "one size fits all."  The financial aid department is very helpful at CTSFW, but the financial seminar, which we were required to attend, was clearly designed for people who've never tried to live within their means or operate on a balanced budget.  It wasn't incorrect info, but it did feel somewhat condescending.

So a day and a half of sitting in a conference room gaining what could have been explained in two hours.  Feels a bit wasted.  And the first day looms closer.

Yay!

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity (2 Sept., 2018)

Remember the Law

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.  I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.  When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.  Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.  Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.  Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.  For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.  For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.  But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.  The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.  My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.  Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.  Proverbs 4:10-23

ב - How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!  With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.  In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.  Psalm 119:9-16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5:16-24

On the way to Jerusalem He was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.  And as He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."  When He saw them He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks.  Now he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."  Luke 17:11-19

The life of a Christian is at times a life of paradox and dichotomy.  We are called to be "in the world, but not of it."  We are simul justus et peccator.  We are dead to sin yet alive in Christ.  We are to follow the Law but are not under the Law.

The Psalmist and the Teacher in Proverbs both hold up God's eternal Law as the standard of all that is good and right.  I anyone wishes to be a good person, someone who is blameless, moral, and righteous, this person must adhere to God's Law.  Their entire life must be dedicated to it.  They must have the Law as their focus in all things.  They must seek to keep it, to guard it.

But Christ and St. Paul do not speak of the Law in these passages quite the same way.  The great evangelist speaks of how we, who are lead by the Spirit, are not under the Law.  He is, of course, speaking firstly of who we are not under the condemnation of the Law, but he goes on to write as if the Law is no longer at play in our lives.

Christ heals ten leapers and tells them to go and fulfill the Mosaic law.  However, one turns back when he see that he was truly healed by the Savior.  He returns and gives thanks.  Christ does not tell him "well done, now go and do like I said."  No, He says "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."  No law, no rules, no requirements.  Just grace.

So which is it?  Are we still under the Law, or are we freed by Grace?  Both.

The eternal Law of God, which leads us in the paths of uprightness and which we store in our hearts, is still the standard by which all Good is measured.  These are the rules God established at the foundation of the world.  Why should they go away?  But what are we no longer bound by?  The condemnation for breaking these rules.  That burden was taken by Christ.  So now, by Grace, we are free to keep the Law.

Mail Call - 6

28 Aug., 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fall Quarter, 2018-2019


18 - 27 Aug. 2018

One more week before classes start.  Books are (mostly) purchased.  Schedules are figured out.  No panic yet, and, after passing through the gauntlet of Summer Greek, I don't expect any.  At least initially.

I like books, but dropping over three hundred dollars a quarter is a bit frightening.  Granted, these are very useful books, especially the commentaries.  Be nice if the costs weren't so high.  Or require finding bookshelf space.

For being an uneventful week, we sure are busy.  New Student Orientation is on Friday, 31 Aug., and is all day.  Its required for all students, including those who have been here for two months studying Greek.  At some point the whole family is supposed to have a picture taken for the school directory.  And there's a financial literacy seminar on Saturday both Meg and I are to attend, but kiddos are not allowed.  Yeah, I don't really get it either.  Oh well.

No doubt that there will be plenty to report on next week, and every following week.  Hoping to keep on top of such things.  Depending on how things go, there may or may not be a report following orientation.

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity (26 Aug. 2018)

Promises, promises...

The men of Israel took captive 200,000 of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.  But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, "Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.  And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God?  Now hear me, and send back the captives from your relatives whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you."  Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war and said to them, "You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."  So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.  And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.  2 Chronicles 28:8-15

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.  For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah  I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.  You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.  Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.  Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!  Psalm 32

To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.  Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.  For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.  Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.  Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.  Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.  But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  Galatians 3:15-22

Then turning to the disciples He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."  And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"  And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."  And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."  But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"  He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."  Luke 10:23-37

The narrative of Scripture is, essentially, one long sting of promises from God to His people.  Granted, there are promises from one person to another, and even some promises from people to God, but the vast majority that matter are promises made by God.  The most well known of these are the covenants.

The cornerstone of these covenants might just very well be God's covenant with Abraham.  At that point, the promise of a messiah went from a bit vague to certain.  God promised, directly, that He would send the savior as a descendant of Abraham.  Its unfortunate that the grammar of said promise, as noted by St. Paul, has tripped up so many who think that the covenant is to Abraham and all the Hebrews.  The reality is that the covenant is between Abraham and his singular archetypal offspring: Jesus.

As the recipient of such a promise, as well as the author of it, Jesus knew about how these things worked.  So when a lawyer asked Him what he had to do to be part of the covenant, Jesus wasted no time letting the man know where his place was.

Jesus asked if the man fulfilled the law, to the letter.  And, seeking to prove himself righteous by his won merit, the man said he had kept the law of Moses.  He though that the covenant made to Abraham, and ratified at Sinai belonged to him.

But that's not how it works.

In his letter to Galatia, St. Paul notes a bit of grammar in the covenant made between God and Abraham.  The promise is made to Abrahams offspring.  Not "offspring," in the plural, as one would expect of the "father of many."  No, the covenant, the promise, the blessings, even the law, are given for a singular offspring to keep and uphold.  The ultimate and true son of Abraham: Jesus Christ.

But that doesn't mean the law is null and void for us.  The law is good, since it is the rules and norm we are to do so as to be good citizens, children, neighbors, workers, etc.  Hence one of Jesus's most well known parables: the Good Samaritan.

Jews in Christ's time hated Samaritans.  And the feeling was mutual.  The animosity goes all the way back to the reign of Rehoboam, who saw the kingdom of Israel that his grandfather David ruled split in two.  Over time the northern kingdom established its capital in Samaria, and in the end was conquered by Assyria.  Their peoples were assimilated into the culture, to the point of forced marriages that lead to, what the Jews considered, "mutts."

The promise, or more specifically the Mosaic law, had been given to the Jews, not those "Gentile pseudo-Jews" from up north.  This reason alone was seen as justification enough to look down upon those "half-breeds."

So when the young lawyer confronts Christ with his idea of what the law meant, the Author of the Law puts the law into proper perspective.  Christ tells a story about a man.  Who the man is does not matter, all that maters is that he had been attacked and left for dead.  So how does a law-abiding Jew react when the letter of the law meets the truth of the Law?

We know this story.  The priest, who had the Scriptures memorized, who had an intimate understanding of the purpose of the temple (or so he thought), ignored the man.  The Levite, who had the law memorized, who had an immense understanding of the traditions of the Jewish people, also ignored the man.  But the Samaritan, who everyone would expect to turn his nose up at some be-troubled individual, had a grasp of mercy and of the Law that exceeded the religious leaders.  He, alone, understood the purpose of the Promise.

What our hypothetical Samaritan understood, what the Jews failed to grasp, is what Hosea said: "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice."  (Hosea 6:6a)  Some translations say "mercy" instead of "steadfast love," but the end result, and meaning, is the same.

The promise God gave was not contingent upon our sacrifices, or on any other action of ours.  Rather, the promise was contingent on the Sacrifice, and our reaction is showing love and mercy.

Mail Call - 5

21 August, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
2018 Summer Greek


4 - 17 August, 2018

The final test was on the 16th.

Passed the test.  Passed the class.

Is there anything more to say than "done?"  Except this isn't the end, other than the end of the beginning.  Classes proper starts on the 4th of September.  At that point, this goes from trying to learn a skill necessary to start to the "real deal."  What I've been doing hasn't, technically, been seminary.  It's been pre-seminary work.

Now, I've and my fellow summer Greekies have been, as some of the second-year seminary students would say, survived our baptism of fire.  Summer Greek was our boot camp, and Dr. Nordling was our drill instructor.  The drill was tough.  The marches were grueling.  The standards were set high.  And we not only survived, but succeeded.

A couple professors said that guys who pass through the Summer Greek tackle translations better than the pre-sem guys.  Why?  Because there is something to having struggled together.  The camaraderie.  The support.  The program is built to take "average Joe layman" (or "average Jo laywoman") and teach them the equivalent of four semesters of university-level Greek in 10 weeks.

Summer Greek at CTSFW is meant to teach.  I've heard it said that the equivalent program at CSL "weeds out the weak."  I don't think that's true, but I know for certain that everyone at Fort Wayne, both professors and students, want the guys studying summer Greek to succeed.

And now comes some much needed respite.  Two weeks before the Fall Quarter starts.  Church History, Liturgics, and Greek Readings and in my immediate future.

Onward.

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity (19 August, 2018)

Done.

Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?  In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.  The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.  For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.  Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale.  For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.  And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction."  Isaiah 29:17-24

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!  I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.  Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.  The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.  The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!  Psalm 146

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?  For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.  Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.  For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.  2 Corinthians 3:4-11

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame."  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him.  For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  Romans 10:9-17

Then He returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.  And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged Him to lay his hand on him.  And taking Him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.  And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.  And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."  Mark 7:31-37

"Just do it."  "You can do it."  "What are you doing with your life."  "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."  "Do or do not, there is no try."  "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."  "God helps those who helps themselves."

We are far too infatuated with what we can do.  Self-help books.  Do-it-yourself television shows.  Websites with step-by-step instructions.  Easy-to-read instructions.  We are always looking for whatever solution is appealing, affordable, and least painful.  Our trust is in ourselves and in our ability to save ourselves.

And we fail.

We fail because we place our trust in someone who cannot do anything.  Not "do anything right" but do anything at all.  So then if our deeds, reason, and strength cannot save us, who or what are we to put our trust in?  Moses?  A king?  A prophet?  The stars?  Fate?  The Great Pumpkin?

How about the One who does all things well?  How about the One who fulfilled the Law, who brought the Good News, who gives us the Spirit of God through water and the body and blood of the Savior?

The people had searched for this person to trust in.  And they kept looking to the wrong person, or hoping for the wrong results.  Which is why, when Christ came, the people were wanting sings, miracles, and mass feedings.  That's part of why Christ told people not to talk about what was happening.

It does seem weird that the Word of God would want people to be quiet about the Gospel.  But His "gag order" wasn't stopping people from proclaiming the Gospel, but keeping people from drawing improper attention to His ministry, especially His early ministry.  People weren't looking at Him because He was the Savior.  They weren't following Him because He was undeniably the Son of God.  They wanted healing and food for today, not eternal life.

People are impatient.  People are picky.  And that's why we wander off on our own to try to forge our own solution to the problem, since God clearly isn't fixing things quick enough.  We want our "best life now," not "Thy will be done."  We want ivory towers, sports cars, thousand dollars shoes, not "give us this day our daily bread."  We want to be the ones who "do all things well."

But with us there is no "do or do not."  There is only "try and fail miserably, making our problems worse."  Our trust must rest in the one who not only does all things well, but who Did.  The one who Completed the Law.  The God-Man, Christ, who died, conquering Hell, and rose.

Done.

Mail Call - 4

7 August, 2018

Adam Baumann

Concordia Theological Seminary

Fort Wayne, Indiana

2018 Summer Greek

30 July - 3 August, 2018

Both midterms are behind the class now. By 10 August we will have completed all 42 chapters of the textbook. One textbook completed in 9 weeks. From little to no knowledge of Greek to 18 men being able to understand the Greek text read any given chapel service.

Things in Greek have gone from mildly challenging to at times floundering. The last two days of July resulted in quite the "hiccup:" -μι verbs. These "me" verbs are old in form, as in older than the version of Greek used by the New Testament authors. As such, they've got some peculiarities. So instead of learning a new ending or such to add to the stuff already learned, we've learned whole new charts. Greek verbs are usually declined following one of two patterns, each with about 190 forms.

We learned three more versions of these patterns in as many days. Actually, its worse than that, since the form learned on the first day of August isn't just one of these old "me" verbs, but one that has both "strong" and "weak" forms of one of the past tenses. At this point I am pretty sure we have learned over 1000 potential forms.

All this on top of three different noun declensions, at least three adjective forms, variations to everything, "marker" words for clauses and phrases, prepositions, and uses of different cases, both logical and confusing.

On the plus side, our English grammar has never been better.

The final test is on 16 August, just over a week away. These ten weeks have gone by quickly, and few of us actually thought we'd be able to use the language with any level of proficiency or confidence. Clearly the method works.

We have our class schedules for the entire year, and know what books we will need. It is a daunting list, so the couple weeks allotted between the end of Summer Greek and the start of the Fall Quarter will be much appreciated.

Sorry for the long gap between these posts. It has seriously been that busy.

Tenth Sunday After Trinity (5 August, 2018)

Warning: Falling Rocks

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD.  Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.  Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'  "For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.  "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.  Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'--only to go on doing all these abominations?  Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 7:1-11

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.  For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.  How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!  The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O LORD, are on high forever.  For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.  But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.  My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.  The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.  They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.  Psalm 92

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.  Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."  (...)   Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  Romans 9:30-10:4

And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."  And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."  And He was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy Him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on His words.  Luke 19:41-48

Contrary to pop-cultural opinion, Christ's teachings are not about our best life now.  Quite the opposite.

As humans, we default to being legalists.  We find, or formulate, rules that will lead to success in some fashion.  Whether its pleasing ourselves, others, or God, these rules will bring wealth, health, and happiness.  If we can just try a little harder.  Be a little holier.  Give a little more.  Say the right prayers, with the right emphasis.  Feel those emotions, which we all know is God's way of saying "yep, you've got the holy spirit flowing through you like a fire."

Jeremiah, the Psalmist, Paul, and Christ Himself all disagree.

The Lord sent Jeremiah to preach to a peoples steeped in sin and self-righteousness based on pagan laws, rituals, and worship.  Time and time again the prophet warned them "turn back to God or be destroyed."  And ever time the people rejected the word of God.  They followed their emotions.  They sought riches and comfort.  They took advantage of the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widowed.  And they payed the price: exile.  That's how the Law works.

The Psalmist also knows how evildoers work.  He compares them to grass, weeds really, which sprout up quickly and everywhere.  They spread and seem to take over places.  But they are easily destroyed.  Not like the righteous ones of God.  These are the ones God has made righteous, and because of that delight in the Lord and His Law.  Their roots are deep and unshakable.

Perhaps that is why St. Paul was willing to go to the Gentiles instead of the Jews.  After all, Paul was a Pharisee, a Jewish theological genius.  Who better to prove Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah?  But Paul knew the Jews were seeking a righteousness through keeping an un-keepable law.  The Gentiles, though, received the Messiah in faith.

"But how can this be," the Jews (and other legalists cry out).  God established the Law.  And you must keep the Law, lest you die and go to Hell.  All these pagans who know nothing about God and His temple are just able to waltz in and be "equals" to the children of Abraham seems wrong.

Maybe it is, but who are you to question God?

Christ lays down some Law in Jerusalem.  At the very epicenter of what should be understanding God's Law is instead legalism, idolatry, and fraud.  So He first passes judgement on Israel, prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem.  Then He cleanses the temple.  That's right, one last act of grace before His death.  One last chance for the Jews to come clean before the last vestiges of the old covenant are swept away.

And in its place is a new covenant, where the Law is loved and obeyed instead of worshiped.  Under this new covenant we are free to obey the Law, instead of slaves to the stumbling block it once had been.

Mail Call - 3

2 July, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
2018 Summer Greek


16-29 June, 2018

Chaos, I tell you.  Utter chaos.

Not so much the Greek class, but the domestic side of life.  We've got ants.  Way many than is acceptable.  (Which, for the record, is zero.)  They're in the apartment, specifically the kitchen.  The seal between the faucet and the countertop is where they are getting in.  Not cool.  After pestering the office staff for three days straight finally got the maintenance guy to come by and take a look.  He fixed the shelf under the sink and caulked it, so hopefully that means the ants aren't coming in any more.  The exterminator is going to be here on Tuesday, so hopefully that will be the end of it.  Meg and the kids will be very happy about that, since it has made using the kitchen very difficult.

Tuesday is also the day the first midterm happens.  Oh, boy.  The info is all the stuff from chapters 1-14, so not too bad, but that's still most of the verb's indicative mood, two out of three noun declensions, adjectives, the article, and some oddities.  No pressure.  Having domestic troubles, then feeling a bit under the weather at the end of the week was like an arrow to the Grecian heel of my studies.

It's only a flesh wound.

Mail Call - 2

19 June, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
2018 Summer Greek


1-15 June, 2018

χαιρέτε!

Summer Greek is in full swing.  Some of us are grasping it better than others, but the pace is quite fast no matter how you look at it.  Kinda like boot camp.  Lots of drill that has to be mastered in a very short amount of time.  We do about a chapter a day, with each chapter having a dozen or so vocabulary, plus whatever paradigm or declension we're working on, so the learning curve is steep.

Each day starts with a two hour class, then chapel.  That is one of the great constants at CTSFW: worship life.  There is chapel every day, and no class overlaps with it.  That way there is no excuse to not worship.  After chapel there are a few hours until mandatory tutoring in the afternoon. Most of the Greek students use part of the time to study in the library.  We quiz and drill together, and double check everyone's work.

Vocabulary and quizzes is another constant.  Lots of repetitive drill.  Conjugations, paradigms, variations, accenting, drill and repeat.  Much like Forrest Gump and his rifle in boot camp.  Take it apart, put it back together, take it apart again till you can do it blindfolded.

There are a lot of resources out there to aid in studying, but I'm sticking to the "old school" methods for now.  That means writing a lot of notecards.

Drill and repeat.

Meg's parents were here last week.  Which was great for the kids.  They got to go to the zoo, where they fed the giraffes.  Having the extra hands was at times helpful.  And the kids loved having the grandparents here.  Its a little bit of normal that helps everyone settle in.

But the upcoming weeks look just as busy as the previous.  Insurance to fill out.  Contact information to update.  Contacting the IT department to access the page to update contact information.  Find churches.  The list goes on.

Mail Call - 1

5 June, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
2018 Summer Greek


22-31 May, 2018

The move from Nebraska to Indiana is, officially, complete.  The convoy, consisting of the truck with all our items, our van with the kids, and my parents and a couple of siblings, arrived in Fort Wayne on Monday, 21 May.  We unloaded the truck on Tuesday, 22 May, with the help of my family and members of the CTSFW Moving-In Committee.  The unload was very quick, which allowed us time to get things put together and in the correct room.  By Friday, we were pretty well settled in physically.  Which was good for the kids when grandma and papa left.

We spent the next week getting things set up, put away, and rearranged in the apartment.  Most things are at least inside (that is, not in the trunk of the car or in the back of the van) and in probably the correct room.  We even started putting pictures up.

The summer Greek class starts on the 11th, so some refresher work is in order.  Among the thinks I'm hoping to work on, either in the lead-up or during the class, is redoing the audio notecards I had made a few months ago.  Not just for myself, but for others.

Getting all the various bits of paperwork and what-not is still a frustration.  For example, I still haven't heard anything about field work, and some have implied that I should have already.  Working on getting health insurance in order is another task.  The Concordia plan, while very good, is very expensive.  Working on an alternate that is within the family budget.

There is an ice cream social that is "mandatory" for all Greek students and their families.  Likewise, the new student orientation is mandatory, though it takes place in the afternoon after the first Greek class.


(Yes, on 7 June I changed the name for this post and for future posts of this nature.)