The role of the prophet in the New Testament church
I'm looking for a good book on the role of the prophet in the New Testament church. Anyone have a suggestion?
And I don't want the perspective to be skewed too far to one side of the theological spectrum. So no Kenneth Hagin or Wayne Grudem please.
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Mark,
Unfortunately it will be hard to find a balanced work, most books dealing with that subject are going to come from the Charismatic movement. Men like C Peter Wagner, Bill Hamon, Graham Cooke, and others.
One book that may touch on what interests you would be Luke Timothy Johnson's book "Prophetic Jesus, Prophetic Church".
One other book would be David Aune's book "Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World"
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Thanks for the recommendations Bobby! Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World in particular looks interesting.
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This book is not in Logos yet, but David Aune edited another book you may find in your library. it has some interesting chapters on NT prophecy.
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That looks really good too. Has it been requested as a Logos resource yet?
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Now that the content from the Feedback site is merged with the forums, you can search to see what book requests were made previously. I searched and found this post:
Based on the post, it looks like a request was made but the link goes nowhere, so maybe you should make a new one.
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Done. Thanks for the tip Yasmin!
https://community.logos.com/discussion/245107/apocalypticism-prophecy-and-magic-in-early-christianity-collected-essays/p1?new=10 -
If it were me (and it's not), to avoid modern theology, I'd reach back to Tertullian and the Montanists. It was this period, where the tipping-point came in … vs Didache a bit earlier.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Good ideas DMB. The Didache in particular has quite a lot to say about prophets.
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Did they already have the cessationism vs continuationism dichotomy back then?
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The role of the prophet may not be dependent on the cessationism vs continuationism dichotomy. Think of the theology of baptism as prophet, priest, and king. The first hint of cessationism that I am aware of is a wee bit later - Augustine and Chrysostom but it took Protestants to actually formulate the theory. So I'd go with @DMB 's hint.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Did they already have the cessationism vs continuationism dichotomy back then?
My understanding (take with a grain of salt) is the reformers were responding against the Catholic church using miracles and such to prove that they were the true church. So, they ended up as cessationist's.
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what would be the best resource(s) to trace a theological concept (such as cessationism) back thru history to its origin?
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I was impressed with the present anachronistic labels .. -ism's. Back then it was people-labels as composites. Sometimes locations. To separate out an -ism from its composite would be fallacious.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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what would be the best resource(s) to trace a theological concept (such as cessationism) back thru history to its origin?
I may not be the best person to ask. I usually start at the Catholic topical index because it gives me links to scripture, ecclesiastical authors, as well as church documents, liturgy, and canon law. The first two should be very valuable to you, as Ancient Literature doesn't have a topical index. Then I go to standard Catholic references like:
- Jurgens, W. A., trans. The Faith of the Early Fathers. Vol. 1–3. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1970–1979.
- Journel, M. J. Rouët de. Enchiridion Patristicum: Translation. Editio Quarta et Quinta. Friburgi Brisgoviae: Herder & Co., 1922.
- Denzinger, Henry, and Karl Rahner, eds. The Sources of Catholic Dogma. Translated by Roy J. Deferrari. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co., 1954.
- Ott, Ludwig. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Company, 1957.
- Bercot, David W., ed. A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998. (not Catholic but a solid replacement for Jurgens above)
That usually provides me a ton of leads across time. If it doesn't works such as:
- Harnack, Adolf von. History of Dogma. Edited by T. K. Cheyne and A. B. Bruce. Translated by Neil Buchanan. Vol. 1-7. Harnack’s History of Dogma. Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1895. which I use simply because I started using it in the 70's and therefore, am familiar with it despite his occasional slips of bias
- Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine - multi-volume. Chicago; London: The University of Chicago Press, 1985. which I use because I trust the author
- Pelikan, Jaroslav. Credo because I could never afford the full version …
Then it is simply a matter of tracing the rabbit trails until I'm comfortable that I have a reasonably accurate understanding. If I were Protestant, I would spend more time on Confessions of Faith and early Catechisms to find references to trace. Unfortunately, I am not aware of Protestant indices to early writings or seminal reformation writings. When one has some Bible references in support of Protestant views to track down, the Ancient Literature section is very useful. If my personal interest were more broadly theological, I would make heavy use of the slice and dice features of the commentary and systematic theology sections which allow one to view by date as well as theological tradition.
A sample from Bercot to show the sort of information I am finding in the various anthologies/indices:
I. Prophecy in the early church
In these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Acts 11:27, 28.
Tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 1 Cor. 14:22.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 1 Cor. 14:29.
Do not despise prophecies. 1 Thess. 5:20.
He Himself is prophesying in us. Barnabas (c. 70–130, E), 1.147.
Every true prophet who wishes to abide among you is worthy of his support. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman of his support. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of the wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you will take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. Didache (c. 80–140, E), 7.381.
The ensuing quotation was written in reference to the Montanists, who said that the gift of prophecy had left the church.
Others, again, try to set at nought the gift of the Spirit, which in the latter times has been poured out upon the human race, by the good pleasure of the Father. For they do not admit that aspect presented by John’s Gospel, in which the Lord promised that He would send the Paraclete. Rather, they set aside at once both the Gospel and the prophetic Spirit. Wretched men indeed! They wish to be pseudo-prophets, but they set aside the gift of prophecy from the church.… We must conclude, moreover, that these men cannot admit the apostle Paul either. For, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, he speaks expressly of prophetical gifts, and recognizes men and women prophesying in the church. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.429.
Prophecy is a prediction of future things. That is, it is a declaration beforehand of things that will happen later. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.489.
[I speak of] Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who is laid to rest at Hierapolis. Also his two daughters, who arrived at old age unmarried. His other daughter also, who passed her life under the influence of the Holy Spirit, reposes at Ephesus. Polycrates (c. 190, E), 8.773.
Prophecy has been fulfilled through His advent.… That is the reason why Daniel said, “Vision and prophet were sealed.” For Christ is the seal of all prophets, fulfilling all that had in former days been announced concerning Him. For, since His advent and personal passion, there is no longer vision or prophet. Tertullian (c. 197, W), 3.168.
After this, there were four prophetesses—daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Their tomb is there, and that, too, of their father. Eusebius, quoting Caius (c. 215, W), 5.601.
Never have any of those who have not embraced our faith done anything similar to what was done by the ancient prophets. And in more recent times, since the coming of Christ, no prophets have arisen among the Jews, who have confessedly been abandoned by the Holy Spirit. Origen (c. 248, E), 4.614.
Celsus is not to be believed when he says that he has heard such men prophesy. For no prophets bearing any resemblance to the ancient prophets have appeared in the time of Celsus [i.e., the second century]. Origen (c. 248, E), 4.615.
Besides the vision of the night, by day also, the innocent age of boys is among us filled with the Holy Spirit—seeing in an ecstasy with their eyes, and hearing and speaking those things by which the Lord warns and instructs us. And you will hear all things when the Lord, who bade me to withdraw, will bring me back again to you. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.290.
The apostles have overcome unbelief though powers, signs, portents, and mighty works. After them, there is now given to the same completed churches the comfort of having the prophetic Scriptures subsequently interpreted. As I said, after [the apostles] there would be interpreting prophets. For the apostle says: “And he placed in the church first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers.” … And when he says, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge,” he is not speaking about the universal prophecy of things unheard and unknown. Rather, he is speaking of things that have been both known and announced. But let them judge whether or not the interpretation is consistent with the testimonies of the prophetic utterance. It is plain, therefore, that to John—armed as he was with superior virtue [as an apostle]—this was not necessary. Victorinus (c. 280, W), 7.353.
E Eastern
W Western
David W. Bercot, ed., “Prophecy, Prophets,” in A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 538–539.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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To separate out an -ism from its composite would be fallacious.
I agree but I'm making a real effort to not be too pedantic on the forums. Can you tell?
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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I'm in the middle of "Reviving the Ancient Faith" (church of Christ) and the author's -ism's are badly generalizing the old COC arguments. I may have gotten carried away!
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Let me test myself …
I'm in the middle of "Reviving the Ancient Faith" (church of Christ) and the author's -ism's are badly generalizing the old COC arguments.
Lipscomb? more conservative than Harding which is more conservative than Abilene which is more conservative than Pepperdine or is my info out-of-date (or flat-out misremembered)
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Well, the label liberal (vs conservative) goes with whatever specific issue is considered heretical. At the moment the Texas cOC is viewing the easterns (Tennessee) as 'soft'. Not willing to just say the truth!
Actually, I'm just now being able to trace my Dad's beliefs. He's passed on, and didn't explain much of his early preacher days. Why Freed-Hardeman.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Thanks for the detailed response.
Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine
I have had that one in print for many many years. Collecting dust. I was surprised just now to discover it in my Logos Library. I do not remember purchasing it. It must have been included in one of the Legacy Library sets I purchased 😀
I am glad to hear that you recommend it. It seems to cover all of church history.
I also have in print the Aune title Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World. I think I picked that up decades ago in a clearance bin at a Christian bookstore that has long since gone out of business. Around a third of that book is all footnotes and references.
So many books, so little time …
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