The church militant
As I prepare to teach an intensive course next week in a ministry training course on the church, I’m looking at a module of the church as the army of God. Your suggestions are welcome. Obviously, passages such as Eph. 6 are paramount. Revelation must come into play, as the 2 Cor. passage on the nature of our warfare and weaponry. Jesus’ declaration about the spiritual kingdom will fit well here also. Timothy and others as soldiers.
It merits mention that this is a metaphor that doesn’t permit physical violence on the part of the church as God’s army.
Older versions call Jesus a “captain” in Heb. 2.10, a word with a wide range of meaning, so I’m trying to wrap my head around the sense of the writer in that verse. Any ideas?
What else would you emphasize here?
Ron Thomas 5:03 pm on July 26, 2012 Permalink |
Some that come to mind, Randal, are Jude 3, Acts 17:3 (in action via the individual), 14:22, Philippians 1:27, Hebrews 12:3-4 and you might consider 2 Timothy 2:3. Just a few that come to mind. With the idea of “captain”, you might see if Acts 27 could play a role. Of course, we know the idea there in Hebrews 2, that Jesus is the Captain of his ship. About the only quick idea that comes to mind.
J. Randal Matheny 7:19 pm on July 26, 2012 Permalink |
Ron, I’m not familiar with the idea of Jesus being captain of the ship in Heb 2.10. What’s your evidence there? Very interested to see it. NLT Study Bible says, “The term translated leader had a wide range of meanings in the ancient world, including founder, hero, champion, prince, captain, leader, or scout. Jesus is a leader in that he blazed a trail for those who are saved, leading them to glory.”
Ron Thomas 4:59 am on July 27, 2012 Permalink
What I had in mind, Randal, is the use of the word “captain” and tying it in with a ship – not that there was anything necessarily connected. Jesus is the head (captain) of his body (ship), and where he lead I will follow. That is all I had in mind. Sorry for my confusing choice of words.
J. Randal Matheny 6:11 am on July 27, 2012 Permalink
Hey, Ron. Thanks for the clarification. When I saw captain in the verse in the older versions, and in the lexicons, I thought of the Roman army captains, so your suggestion was new to me. Still digging …
Eugene Adkins 5:15 pm on July 26, 2012 Permalink |
There is a large amount of material to be found. I did a sermon series one time titled, “In the Army now.” I can’t remember how many lessons I did, but I think it was at least 13 (maybe a little more) by the time I included one lesson for each part of the gospel armor.
And I know that when I was finished with some of the eariler lessons I was thinking that they could’ve easily been separated into different sermons too.
I’ll email you later.