If I’ve learned nothing for the half century I’ve lived it is that man is fallable. They are usually swept away be the current mood of the present age. The reformation heritage that we enjoy today is largely due the Herculean effort of Martin Luther, who put his life on the block. Much to his credit he is to be commended for courage uncharacteristic. and well beyond those of even courageous men. There is little secret however, that Hitler who killed over six million of them, drew an unhealthy dose of inspiration from Luther’s espoused views on the question of our Jewish Brothers where he succumbed the prevailing anti-Semitic views of his time.

This one thing I have learned, and am sure of. Scripture has a peculiar habit of interpreting scripture. God never simply told us things, he actually demonstrated everything he told to us in plain, show and tell fashion; just so we don’t go about stumbling over the meaning of words. We can see what he meant by what he did.

How often after an explosive storm like Katrina, you hear physicists, draw analysis with the power of that storm, to that of so many comparable megaton explosive grade hydrogen or atomic bombs by it’s sheer effect. Katrina is a monster storm compared to the storm that threatened the lives of the disciples and Jesus. Different source of dynamite power but the principle is the same; potentially lethal, and destructive dynamite power in play, nevertheless Jesus stood up and proceeded to manage that power by the word of his dynamite. God gave us dominion over nature including the dynamite forces of nature. It seem rather clear that he himself reserved the peculiar skill sets to manage them as well.

Fire emits light which is electromagnetic radiation. God said I am light—Literally, then he stepped back and proceeded demonstrate the point by radiating brighter in candledynamite than the sun itself. When he walked with Israel in the wilderness he stood a pillar of fire by night to watch them. That pillar of fire wasn’t unbalanced but more carefully orchestrated than any of the finest concerto performances of the greatest musician. I hope you don’t mean to imply that God in incapable of controlling something over which he gave man authority to control. He spoke out of his great fire on mount Sanai and wrote with great dexterity control by his dynamite, the ten suggestions carved out of stone by the finger of God with great control; Moses didn’t get scorched though he stood there in the presence. When he said he is the Almighty, he is all the known power in the entire universe. Since God is all that there is, then all things that is, are made of him, and without him there is nothing. He controls all, and left that dominion to us but then we got bussy parsing words.

Oh, and a laugh track during the offering plate is an awesome idea since God is never in a bad mood, we shouldn’t be either.

I now feel vindicated!

Carson is spot on! Rogers and MacArthur are my heroes, but that does not make them infallible

I appreciate you pointing out how others have used dunamis. If I understand correctly though, they are using dunamis as an illustration. They are not speaking to the etymology of the word as Carson points to. So, you’ve shown how others have used the word, but have not said whether or not Carson’s scholarship is incorrect.

My question: Is D.A. Carson correct in stating that these illustrations comment the “root fallacy compounded by anachronism”?

Caron’s proposal makes perfect sense in that dynamite was not around when, for example, Paul wrote Scripture. It just seems that it is not good practice to take our definition today and apply back to the Apostles as if that is what they meant. This does not mean that the illustration isn’t effective but is it accurate?

Today, many conservative Christians have complained about what is called contextualization. Yet, as I pause and consider the dunamis word usage, it almost seems worse than today’s contextualization. I wonder if it fits in a similar category?

I do appreciate you stopping by.

Mark

P.s. As I read my original words above I can see how one might take them as offering a bit of condemnation. Although serious, I was trying to have a bit of fun. I’ll think on it.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”

This time when the apostle Paul wrote “power,” he used the Greek word dunamis, the word we get dynamite from.

The dynamite of God is in this Book. It is powerful. I’ve seen it happen time after time…the “dunamis” of the Word comes into a person’s heart, and that person is powerfully transformed. It is “piercing” (verse 12), able to penetrate and scrutinize the innermost part of your personality.”

The blog makes it seem as if only “immature” servants and preachers would use this illustration. That’s incorrect.

Also Dr John MacArthur in a thought parallel to the passage in 2 Peter explains where we get this dunamis power writing that…

It is the Word of God that infuses us with power, but there’s nothing worse than feeling like an impotent Christian. In Acts 1:8 we read, “But ye shall receive power.” The Greek word for “power” is dunamis, which means “miraculous power” or “dynamite.” Now someone might say that you ought to be exploding all over the world with this tremendous power. But you say to yourself, “Exploding! I don’t even fizzle. I feel like a dud.” Someone else might say that you ought to be out there winning people to Jesus Christ. But you say, “Are you kidding? Not me. I’m like Moses, I—I—I—I can’t talk” (cf. Exodus 3:10). Sometimes we get hung up with our impotence because we really don’t know the “power” available to us. Listen, the Word of God will infuse us with “power.” From my own life I’ve realized that the more I know about the Word of God, the less I fear any situation, because the Word is my resource.” (MacArthur, J., Jr. How to Study the Bible. John MacArthur’s Bible Studies. Chicago: Moody Press ).

Dr John MacArthur commenting on Acts 1:8 writes that because of this dunamis power…

All believers have in them spiritual dynamite for use of gifts, service, fellowship, and witness. They need to experience the release of that power in their lives through not grieving the Spirit by sin (see Ephesians 4:30-note), and being continually filled and controlled by the Spirit (see Ephesians 5:18-note). The latter takes place as believers yield moment by moment control of their lives to Him, and is the same as yielding their minds to the Word (see Colossians 3:16-note). (MacArthur, J: Acts 1-12; Acts 13-28 Moody Press)

William Barclay writes that dunamis…

“literally means power; it is the word from which dynamite comes. It can be used of any kind of extraordinary power. It can be used of the power of growth, of the powers of nature, of the power of a drug, of the power of a man’s genius. It always has the meaning of an effective power which does things and which any man can recognize.” (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

To the preacher who has used the dunamis/dynamite illustration we can conclude that, though you may disagree, there are other well respected men who have used the same illustration.

Thanks for stopping by!

I LITERALLY giggled out loud when I read that.
.-= GUNNY HARTMAN´s last blog ..Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays. =-.

Ha! That was the purpose to keep you reading or to realize how ridiculous some of those illustrations would be.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thankfully, I slowed down long enough to see D.A. Carson’s name mentioned and was fortunate enough to read the rest of the post. I would’ve looked silly debating a point that you had already made

Thanks for this post. I think we need to be true to God’s word and people do a lot of silly things with their knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Some just know enough to be dangerous.

Nathan Creitz’s last blog post..Checklist Christianity vs. Following Jesus

I will certainly pray for you!

Dr. James Willingham’s last blog post..The Climax of the Reformation

I agree that we should be thankful that the Lord is patient with us. In fact, I don’t think we realize just how thankful we should be.

I wasn’t making fun. Though I was having a little fun to make a point. It was D.A. Carsons comments about hilarious giving that gave me the idea. Also, it’s not just those starting out in preaching who’ve used the dynamite illustration.

As always, I appreciate you dropping by.

Mark

Dr. James Willingham’s last blog post..The Climax of the Reformation