TIP OF THE DAY 123: Action takes time: Identify time markers

MJ. Smith

I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day

TOPIC: Identify time markers

POST ISSUE: Preuss’ classification of Biblical time; the seven possible relationships between events (intervals) and Western bias when viewing time.

In Preuss, Horst Dietrich. Perdue, Leo G., trans. Old Testament Theology. Vol. I & II. The Old Testament Library. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995–1996, the author treats time as natural, historical, and/or eschatological. Davies, Ernest. Representations of Common Sense Knowledge. San Mateo, CA: Morgan Kauffman Publishers, Inc. 1990 provides a list of possible sequences of events in linear time. Richards, E. Randolph, and Brandon J. O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012 discusses the cultural aspects of time. These concepts open our consideration of studying time in scripture.

QUESTION: How many types of time are found in the bible?

SOFTWARE: A smart All search with a search argument of kinds of biblical time point you to a variety of different answers. I chose to follow up on the result focusing on H. D. Preuss.

ANSWER: From the synopsis:

The concept of biblical time can be understood through three interrelated types: natural, historical, and eschatological time, as discussed by Preuss. These correspond loosely to God's works of creation, redemption, and consummation respectively. The Old Testament incorporates both cyclical and linear concepts of time, with natural (cyclical) time forming the foundation for historical and eschatological (linear) time. It's worth noting that this categorization has been debated, with some scholars critiquing the imposition of these concepts on Old Testament writings.1

Since there was little in my library, I used Perplexity to fill in the details:

Horst Dietrich Preuss, a German Old Testament scholar, proposed a threefold understanding of time in biblical theology: natural, historical, and eschatological. While the search results don't directly mention Preuss's work, we can explore these concepts based on the broader context of biblical time interpretation.

Natural Time

Natural time refers to the cyclical patterns observed in nature, such as:

Day and night cycles

Seasons of the year

Agricultural rhythms

This concept aligns with the Creation Time mentioned in biblical interpretation, which establishes a foundational time structure in the biblical narrative.

Historical Time

Historical time relates to the linear progression of events in human history. In biblical context, this includes:

Chronos Time: Sequential, chronological time as typically understood

Covenant Time: Marking significant events in salvation history

Sabbatical and Jubilee Cycles: Cyclical time concepts used in the Old Testament

Eschatological Time

Eschatological time pertains to the ultimate fulfillment of God's purposes and the end times. This concept encompasses:

Kairos Time: Qualitative time, often described as "God's time" or the right moment for divine action

Prophetic Time: Used in biblical prophecies, involving symbolic or literal interpretations of time periods

Eternity: Time that transcends human understanding of temporal limitations

Eschatological perspectives in Christianity include various interpretations of end-time events, such as:

Amillennialism: Viewing the "Church Age" as the Millennial Kingdom

Premillennialism: Believing in Christ's physical return before a literal thousand-year reign

Postmillennialism: Expecting a spiritual millennium of peace before Christ's return

These different views reflect the complexity of eschatological time in biblical interpretation and theology.

Understanding these three dimensions of time - natural, historical, and eschatological - provides a framework for interpreting biblical narratives and prophecies, as well as comprehending God's interaction with creation and human history.

QUESTION: How many ways can two events (time intervals) be related??

ANSWER: I drew this answer from Davies, Ernest. Representations of Common Sense Knowledge. San Mateo, CA: Morgan Kauffman Publishers, Inc. 1990.

• Before: Action A starts and ends before action B.
• Meets: Action A starts; when A ends, action B starts.
• Overlaps: Action A starts, action B starts before action A ends; action B ends after action A ends.
• Starts: Actions A and B start at the same time but end at different times.
• During: Action A starts, action B starts and ends before action A ends.
• Finishes: Actions A and B start at different times but end at the same time.
• Equal: Actions A and B start and end at the same dead.

QUESTION: What biases does Western culture apply to Western texts?

ANSWER: Chapter 6, “Sand through the Hourglass: Time” in Richards, E. Randolph, and Brandon J. O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012 is a solid discussion of the problems. The summarize function in Logos provides this summary:

Chapter 6: Sand through the Hourglass: Time

The text explores the cultural differences in the perception and significance of time, particularly contrasting Western and non-Western views. In Western cultures, time is treated as a limited resource, leading to a focus on efficiency, punctuality, and productivity. Time management is emphasized, and people often feel pressured to "make time" for others. In contrast, many non-Western cultures, such as those in Indonesia, view time as more elastic and less rigidly defined. For instance, Indonesian fishermen may not feel the urgency of deadlines, believing that "there is always tomorrow." This cultural divergence extends to language, where Western languages often have precise verb tenses to denote time, while languages like Indonesian lack such distinctions. The text also discusses how these differing views of time influence interpretations of the Bible. Western readers tend to focus on chronos (quantitative, measurable time), while biblical authors often emphasize kairos (qualitative, significant moments). This distinction can lead to misunderstandings of biblical narratives, as Westerners may impose their chronological expectations on stories that are not presented in a linear fashion. The text encourages readers to consider the implications of these cultural perspectives on time when interpreting Scripture, highlighting the importance of understanding the timing and context of events rather than merely their sequence. Ultimately, it suggests that wisdom in the biblical sense involves recognizing the right moments (kairos) for action, rather than strictly adhering to a chronological framework.

1 T. Prokrifka, “Time,” in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic; Inter-Varsity Press, 2008), 821.

MJ. Smith

I finally figured out I had to use a wider window to be able to restore the formatting lost in the copy and paste. I hope this will improve the readability of the tips.