The Testing of God's Sons

by Gregory S. Smith

Overview

There exists a general lack of biblical understanding for the idea of “testing” that emerges in the Old Testament as a significant theological theme. The faithful from both Old Testament and New Testament times are tested for their faith. This kind of experience often involves enduring hardship and difficult times. While often confused with the biblical idea of “temptation,” the biblical idea of testing stems from a metallurgical background and carries a unique covenantal function. Testing will be at the center of how God responds to the rebellion of his people and reveals God’s primary concern for the faith of his saints.

Our study will first focus on the language of testing and explore the semantic range for the idea of testing that draws from both the biblical context, as well as the world of the ancient Near East. This study will then focus on the often overlooked Joseph narrative and its unique contribution to the theology of testing that is presented by the rest of the Pentateuch. Finally, the remainder of the biblical texts will be investigated on the theme of testing. The last chapter will appreciate the fact that God tests His sons—Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job, Israel and even Christ. 

It is through the experience of God’s tested sons that believers are invited to more fully and deeply understand their own experience of testing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805464184
Publisher:	B&H Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/01/2014
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Gregory S. Smith (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate vice president for Academic Administration and assistant professor of Bible at the College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a contributing author to Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Zondervan).

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations xi

Foreword Randy Weeaks xv

Preface xvii

Introduction 1

1 The Language of Testing 5

The Biblical Language of Testing 6

The Root &cgpA;&cgpX;&cgpJ; 6

The Root &cgpY;&cgpH;&cgpB; 9

The Root &cgpAA;&cgpD;&cgpU; 11

Conclusion 13

The Concept of Testing in the Ancient World 15

Testing by Examination 16

Testing by Verification 18

Testing by Lifting One's Head 21

Testing by Examining the Heart 23

Testing by Demonstrated Word 25

Testing by an Inferior 27

Testing by Refinement 28

Conclusion 29

2 Testing in the Joseph Narrative 31

Historical Investigation 31

Hermann Gunkel 32

Gerhard von Rad 33

Hans Walter Wolff 34

Claus Westermann 36

Walter Moberly 37

Testing and Fear at Moriah and Sinai 40

The Joseph Narrative and the Meaning of "the Fear of God" 43

Testing and Fear in the Joseph Narrative 49

The Meaning of Testing 49

Joseph's Testing in Egypt 50

The Climax of Testing 54

Joseph's Fear of God 59

Testing in Genesis 43-50 63

Joseph's Theological Contribution to Pentateuchal Testing 66

Conclusion 67

3 Testing as a Unified Pentateuchal Theological Theme 71

Testing that Authenticates Faith 71

The Testing of Abraham 72

The Testing of the Midwives 81

The Testing of Moses 82

The Testing of Israel at Sinai 83

Testing that Authenticates and Improves Faith 86

Prepatriarchal Testing 87

The Testing at Shur and Sin 89

The Testing at Massah 90

Testing in the Wilderness 91

Testing in Deuteronomy 93

Conclusion 99

4 The Testing of God's Sons 101

The Testing of God's Sons: Adam 102

Excursus: The Testing of Job 108

The Testing of God's Sons: Patriarchs 115

The Testing of God's Sons: Israel 118

Testing Assessed at Moab 121

Testing and Conquest 123

Testing and the Monarchy 127

Testing and the Divided Kingdom 130

The Testing of God's Sons: Jesus 145

The Testing of God's Sons: The Church 147

Conclusion 155

5 Conclusion 159

Appendix A Testing as "Touchstone" 163

Appendix B Covenant Good as Functional Good 175

Bibliography 185

Name Index 209

Subject Index 212

Scripture Index 214